All the Things I Thought I Knew
by Doctor2Be
Summary: Everything that Bella and Edward thought they knew is challenged when they finally meet each other. What happens when you fall in love in high school, your father is engaged to a renagade Southern Belle, and well...high school. EXB Cannon Couples.
1. Moose and the Renagade Southern Belle

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. **

**Ok everyone, I have been an absolutely terrible person. I completely abandoned my last story but honestly, I have been extremely busy. Life is in overdrive and my teachers are insane. So I am going to start this story and do my best to finish it. Posts may be sporadic till the summer and I am notorious for writer's block. **

**I'd also like to give this warning. This is another one of those Edward and Bella teenage love stories but I am going to do my best to add my own twists. **

_**Bella's POV**_

Forks, Washington…cold, rainy, and green. The sun rarely shines and everything is covered in green. Charlie was driving the police cruiser and I watched the raindrops hit the window. It was raining, go figure. We pulled up to the new house that Charlie and his fiancée had bought together. They needed more room when they found out I was moving up to Forks since, Emmett occupied the only other room. The new house was white and surrounded by trees. The spacing between houses was prominent which allowed for variety. We passed by the house next door that was absolutely huge and much more modern looking.

Emmett and a woman that I guessed was Charlie's fiancée was standing outside along with a dog. The minute I got out of the car Emmett wrapped me in a bone crushing, bear hug.

"Welcome home baby sister!" His voice boomed and echoed off the trees.

We had the same brown hair but his was much curly and the same brown eyes. Emmett was a whole foot taller than my 5'4" frame and his muscles wrapped around him like steel bands. When he let me go, my lungs filled with air and blood returned to my extremities. Then the dog came over and sniffed at me tentatively and then shot me a wolfy grin. The dark fur and pointed ears cued me in that this was a German Shepherd. Suddenly it lifted its front paws onto my shoulders and licked my face from chin to temple.

"Eww gross!" I exclaimed and wiped the slobber away.

"Down Moose!" I heard Charlie call.

The dog immediately got off and kept looking at me from the ground. I carefully reached out and rubbed the fur back and forth.

"Bells, this is Moose. He is my police dog and the new family pet of course. He sure seems to like you," Charlie spoke in his usual gruff tone. After patting Moose's head I looked up at the woman.

She has strawberry blonde hair that came a few inches past her shoulders. She was pale with a peachy tan complexion and a few very light freckles across the tops of her cheek and nose. Her features were delicate and perfect. Hazel eyes that shined with a sort of tough love and knowing. She was very slender and an inch taller than myself. And young, she had to be about 30 or maybe 32. **(A/N: Picture on my profile. I created her with the idea of Dr. Charlotte King from Private Practice in mind)**

"Bella this is Hailey Walker, Hailey this is Bella," Charlie introduced us. I shook her hand.

"It's good to finally meet you Bella," her southern accent was noticeable in her speech.

"I'm glad my dad has found someone," I said as nicely as possible, I was still skeptical. Charlie and Emmett grabbed my bags and took them to what I assumed was my room.

"We had Esme Cullen and Hailey decorate the room so I hope you like it," Charlie mumbled.

The room was amazing. The floor was carpeted with a lovely beige color and the walls were painted a pale almost baby yellow. Lacy, antique looking, white curtains hung on the double window. A bench sitting beneath it covered with a white cushion. A double sized bed sat as the main part of the room that was covered with a white, blue, and yellow quilt. And white pillows that matched the curtains. A desk that matched the bed sat in front of the bed with a desk lamp. A side table rested on my side of the bed that had a lamp. The dresser, like the desk, matched the bed with silver and crystal knobs. And of course the old white rocking chair sat in the corner of my room. A double wide closet adorned with knobs like the dressers completed the room.

"Well, its 5:30 and we'll have dinner at 7 so take your time," Charlie said and then left.

That's the good thing about Charlie, he didn't hover. Moose stayed behind and curled up on my bed. I made quick work of my books and laptop. I set the time on my clock and put it down on the side table. Then I hung up pictures along with some art. When I went to put some of my clothes away I found a note. It was from Alice. We had met through Emmett and had been best friends since I started eighth grade in Phoenix, and when Emmett had moved to Forks. It said to text her when I found the note.

_I found the note_

I texted her quickly and went back to unpacking small stuff like undergarment. I opened dresser drawers to find them half filled. A knock sounded at my door.

"Yes?" I said while opening the door, only to find Alice bouncing up and down. She quickly wrapped me into a tight hug.

"I can't believe you're here!" she practically screamed.

"It's good to see you too Alice," I gasped out. She let me go and walked past me into the room.

"Oh good, you haven't done your clothes yet," she said while swinging open both doors of the closet. I gasped when I saw the full wardrobe.

"Alice, what is this?! I have clothes. Did you buy all this?" I was in shock.

"Well not _all_ of it. Some of it's from me, some from Rosalie, and some from Hailey too," she said while rummaging through my suitcase, throwing some things in a pile and others into another, scowling at some clothes then contemplating others.

"Alice what are you doing?" I finally had to ask.

"I'm determining what you can keep and this is my final verdict. You can't keep it all since we have this new wardrobe for you," she said in a bored tone as if I should have already known.

"But these are my clothes!"

"Not anymore. But come on Bella, this wardrobe was for Phoenix and no where near prepared for Forks. Plus we washed all these clothes for you and we went for comfort," she explained. I sighed knowing I wouldn't win this one.

"I'm surprised Rose isn't here," I mumbled while Alice put the keepers away.

"She wanted to but couldn't. She's discussing college plans with her parents," Alice replied while putting the huge pile of rejects into trash bags.

I'd met Rosalie Hale a couple times. When Emmett came down to Phoenix he would occasionally bring Rosalie or Alice with him. Rosalie was absolutely gorgeous. She has wavy, long blonde hair that had a certain shine to it and flawless ivory skin. She has the body of a Sport's Illustrated model; all the right curves, about 5'7", and statuesque. Her lips are always rose red and her eyes were a light blue and depending on what she wore were almost violet. Completely the opposite of Alice Cullen.

Alice stands at about 4'10" with pixie like features to match her stature. Her hair is jet black and barely touches her shoulders. But what really threw me off the first time were her eyes. They are a brilliant shade of emerald green that seemed to glow. And of course like most people in this town she had pale skin. Both Rosalie and Alice are devastatingly beautiful and of course both taken. Rosalie was dating my lug of a brother, Emmett and Alice was dating Rosalie's brother Jasper. Apparently Alice had a twin brother named Edward who I hadn't seen in ages.

"Ok you can have Charlie take these bags to the Goodwill," Alice spoke clapping her hands together, "Do you mind if I come by tomorrow after I get out of school?"

"Sure, that's fine. I'll need the company."

"Oh!? Are you not going to school tomorrow?"

"No, I need to get a physical done at the hospital and then register at the school," I explained, "and it's Friday tomorrow, no point in coming one day."

"Good point, ok I will come over tomorrow. But before I leave, I was wondering what you are doing Saturday night?"

"Nothing that I can think of, why?" A devilish smile flitted to her face.

"You remember my brother Edward, right?"

"Not really it's been years Alice."

"Well you see Bella, I think that you and Edward would be perfect together. And since you haven't talked to him in a while, you could go see a movie in Port Angeles and grab some dinner?" A blind date…no way.

"I don't know Alice…" I was really hesitant after breaking up with my ex.

"Please Bella? He's a great guy. Please, please, please, please, please, plea—"

"Okay, okay," I surrendered. I was really becoming a door mat.

"Fabulous! Ok, I'll let him know and I will see you tomorrow after school. I'll even bring Rosalie," she squealed while skipping out the door and down the stairs.

With a groan I fell back onto my bed. Moose laid his head on my stomach. I petted his head for a few minutes before getting up. It was already 6:30.

Charlie and Emmett were watching a basketball game. I made my way into the kitchen to find Hailey starting to cook. I watched as she pulled things out. Noodles, canned tomatoes, spices, ground beef, lettuce, bread…I listed ingredients in my head. She finally noticed me from the corner of her eye.

"Want to help?" She asked. I nodded and made my way to the stove.

"I'm making Spaghetti and meatballs with salad and garlic bread," her southern accent flowed with a grace I would have never expected.

"I'll make the sauce and noodles," I offered.

She nodded, "I'll work on the meatballs and bread."

I filled a pot with water and set it to boil. Then I put another pot on the stove and filled it with the cans of tomatoes. I measured out some of the spices and added them one by one. One time when Renee, my mom, was out on a date with Phil, I took the time to experiment with spices and created my own spaghetti sauce. Once I was done I stirred the sauce and left it to warm. Just as I finished Hailey had finished rolling the meatballs. She warmed up a skillet and started to cook the meatballs, pausing only to stick the bread in the oven. I took the chance to ask her some questions.

"So where do you work?"

"I'm a teacher at the high school. I currently teach the A.P. U.S. History class, History of American War, and also Ancient Civilizations."

"Those are some advanced classes. What type of degree do you have?"

"I received my bachelor in History and then received my masters in teaching," she flipped a few meatballs as she spoke.

"Just curious, how old are you?" I didn't mean to be rude but she seemed a younger than Charlie, who recently turned 38.

"You know it's impolite to ask a lady her age. But since you are also a lady I'll tell you," she paused to check on the bread, "I'll be turning 32 here in March." Six years younger than Charlie.

"Where are you from? I noticed your southern accent so I doubt you're a native of Washington," I started tearing lettuce into a bowl.

"Smart girl, and how about we stop the interrogation and I will just tell ya about myself," she answered while flipping the bread.

"My name is Hailey Walker and I'm from Savannah, Georgia. I come from an old, rich Southern family. My family's lived in Georgia since around the War of 1812. My parents were very traditional. I was raised to be tough on the inside and a lady on the outside. I have one brother, Sawyer, who is 36. He's a marine in the military, mainly because my father pressured him into it. I also was pressured into teaching by Big Daddy but instead of classical literature I chose history. And to their greater disgust I chose to focus on war.

My mother died when I turned 29 and I took the chance to move as far away from Georgia as possible. And I found this little town where Big Daddy couldn't find me. That's when I met your dad. At first I tried to avoid him. I didn't need any ties but it was hard. There was something about your dad that drew me in. I'm pretty sure it was those brown eyes that did me in. But we started dating and a year later I received word from Sawyer that Big Daddy's smoking finally did him in. So Charlie went with me down to Savannah where Sawyer turned the machines off. A couples months later your dad proposed to me. I know you think I'm young but honestly an older guy is probably for the best. And we need each other," she stopped to take out the bread.

I finished dressing the salad and Hailey slowly dropped the meatballs into the thickened sauce. I felt guilty. I had the wrong impression of her. I stirred the noodles into the meatballs and sauce and turned off all the heat.

"Ok men! It's supper time!" Hailey called. They were in the kitchen so fast it made my head spin. We all got a plate and Emmett was at the table first. I watched as he took a bite of the spaghetti.

"Shit! This is amazing Hailey!" He hollered after swallowing.

"Language!" Hailey scolded and hit him in the back of the head with her napkin. I giggled at the scene. He gave her a sheepish look and mumbled a sorry.

"This sauce is really good Hailey, new recipe?" Charlie said next.

"Nope, Bella made the sauce actually. She deserves the credit," Hailey said after taking a bite.

"Bells, this is amazing!" Emmett said with a mouthful of food.

"Speak before you swallow!" Hailey scolded again.

There was no messing around with Miss Hailey. Moose whimpered at me and Charlie got up quickly. He spooned out two meatballs and put them in a dog dish with the dog food. Moose made quick work of the food and gave me a big dog grin. We all finished eating and the guys cleaned up.

"Dad, Emmett, I can do this," I spoke while they cleared the table.

"Nope," Charlie spoke while picking everything up.

"It's a tradition since Hailey's been here. She cooks and we clean up. And since you helped her cook then you don't have to clean up," Emmett said getting all the pots in the sink. There were no left overs.

I sighed and went up to my room. I grabbed some stuff to sleep in and made my way to the shower. I shared the bathroom with Emmett since Charlie and Hailey's room was downstairs. Luckily, Emmett managed to keep the bathroom neat so I put my stuff in the bathroom. After taking a shower I made my way back to my room. I pulled back the quilt to find a few layers of blankets for the cold weather of mid-January.

Settling in I tried to sleep despite the constant noise of the rain.

**So what did you guys think? The next few chapters are going to be posted quickly since I've been such a terrible person. I'm also looking for a Beta for this story because I'm terrible at grammar and I make plenty of mistakes. So please review, please give constructive criticism, and I welcome ideas. Thanks!**


	2. Friends, Chinese, and Information

**So I don't mean to sound whiny but I put up the first chapter a couple days ago. And if any of you are writers then you know that feeling you get when those first couple of reviews come in. Well…I didn't get that feeling cause no one reviewed. So please review so I know that you all are reading. Here is the next chapter and the next one is the date. **

**Bella's POV**

I woke up to a light drizzle against the window similar to the one I fell asleep to. I tossed and turned all night. I was use to the silence of the desert not the pitter patter of rain on my window. I looked at the standing mirror to find my hair looking like a haystack. I groaned and fell back against my bed. I looked at the time and it read a little after 8. My appointment with the doctor was at 9:30.

After getting a shower and brushing my teeth, I headed back to my bedroom to find something to wear. I pulled out a pair of jeans and looked through all the new shirts. I managed to find a grey thermal long sleeve shirt and then I picked out a black cardigan sweater. I went down stairs and drank a glass of milk, too nervous to eat anything. I went into the living room to find Hailey sitting and waiting for me.

"There you are Bella, we should head out so we can make the appointment," she said standing up.

"What are you doing here? I thought school was in today?" I was still in shock.

"Well your dad was going to take you but he was called in at the last minute. So I got a sub for all my morning classes," she explained while picking up here purse, "And you needed a ride since Emmett is using the truck."

"Oh…ok thanks."

We walked out into the mist and over to what I assumed was her car. It was a black Ford Focus with a hatchback.

"So you learned a lot about me yesterday. I want to know a little bit about you," Hailey said while backing out of the driveway.

"Um, ok. What do you want to know?"

"What type of things do you like to do?" The trees zoomed by the window along the highway.

"I like to read, particularly the classics. My favorites are Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice. I also like to cook and bake."

"Interesting selection, I'm a fan of the classics also. I could have taught literature but I wanted aggravate my folks and followed my other passion. Though I prefer A Tale of Two Cities and Jane Eyre, Shakespeare's characters are a little too predictable for my taste. Where are some places you want to go?"

"Well I really want to go to Italy. But I would also like to see some of the sites in the country. I want to see cities like Charleston, SC, Washington D.C., and Chicago. And I know you used to live there but I heard Savannah is beautiful," I spoke while imagining the places in my mind.

"That it is, all those places are beautiful. The beaches are the best part. And not to mention all the history, the south is riddled with history. Big Daddy used to call the Civil War the War of Northern Aggression. And my Granpappy knew all the stories his father told him from the Civil War. The south has a rich history, would have been even better if Sherman hadn't burned the South." By the time she finished talking we pulled up to the hospital.

We made our way inside and the familiar hospital smell filled my nose. The panic also set in. I had a phobia of needles and blood. I walked up to the front desk.

"What can I do for you?" her voice was soft and she had mousy brown hair.  
"I have an appointment." She checked the computer, tapping a few keys, "Isabella Swan?"

"Yes."

"Dr. Cullen will see you shortly. Please follow me."

Dr. Cullen? I wonder if that is Alice's dad. I followed the nurse to a room where she closed the door. She went through the usual stuff: height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature, so on and so forth. Hailey waited outside. A knock sounded on the door and I turned around.

The doctor had golden blonde hair that seemed to shine like the sun in the florescent light. His skin was pale like Alice's and he had the same emerald green eyes that Alice had. All his features were perfect and angular. The doctor had to be a couple inches over 6 feet and lean but muscular. He wore light colors under his white coat giving a sense of ease. I had to keep myself from drooling.

"Hello, Isabella Swan right?" his voice was calming and smooth.

"Yes, and it's just Bella."

"Ok Bella, it seems like you are in good condition and it says here that you are looking into birth control?" I felt my face flush red.

"Um yeah. My period has been pretty irregular lately so I was hoping that birth control would help with that and my monthly acne," I explained.

Maybe I should have requested a female doctor.

"Ok then, I just need to take some blood and have the OB/GYN do a pelvic exam for you. I'm sure that would be more comforting than an old man like me doing it," he finished with a wink.

I laughed nervously. A few minutes later a woman came in and did my pelvic exam. Even though it was a woman, it was still awkward. Then the nurse came in to take my blood. I started shaking and a cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

"Dear are you ok?" the nurse sounded worried, "You're white as a ghost." I faintly heard her call for someone. Dr. Cullen came in quickly.

"Bella? It's going to be ok. I'll do it myself and I promise you it won't hurt," his voice was very soothing.

I felt the alcohol wipe across the bend of my elbow followed by another wipe. The area suddenly felt numb. I looked away and the next thing I knew the tourniquet was released.

"There, all done. Now we will get this blood run and I'll be back with you in a couple minutes," he spoke while throwing away his gloves.

Hailey walked in and Dr. Cullen closed the door behind her. I watched her dig through her purse and pull out a square covered in foil. She pulled back the foil and I noticed it was chocolate. She tore off a chunk and handed it to me.

"Here, it will help you feel better," she explained, holding the chunk out to me.

I took it hesitantly and ate it. It tasted really good; I let it melt in my mouth. She portioned off parts to me and she ate some. And by the time we were done, a knock sounded at the door.  
"Ok Bella, it seems like you are good to go. Make sure you take some vitamins or an iron supplement your Iron levels are a little low. Here is your prescription. Remember that when you take antibiotics the birth control isn't effective. Also make sure you take it every single day. If you notice any adverse side effects come see me right away," he said.

"Ok then," I said and hopped off the table.

"Have a good day Bella, you too Hailey. Tell Charlie that we should have a family dinner together some time. Work it out with Esme she knows my schedule for the next couple weeks."

"Will do Carlisle," she said while walking out. We dropped off the prescription at the Pharmacy counter and headed to her car.

"I'm going to drop you off at the school so you can work out things with the guidance counselor. Then I will drop you off at home during lunch. I'll pick up your prescription after school," she explained during the drive.

The school was small with multiple brick buildings. I spotted Emmett's monster sized red truck in the parking lot, next to a silver Volvo and a glossy red convertible. I made my way down the hallways that were painted industrial white with a stripe of blue and gold in the middle. The linoleum floors were also white, blue, and gold.

"Here is the guidance counselor's office," she pointed to the door and the bell rang, "If you finish early have her give you a map and head to my room, which is room B 204."

She walked away quickly to I was guessing the second building. With a deep breath I knocked on the door. The door opened to a lady with grey hair and glasses.

"Come in Isabella!" her voice had an antique ring to it. She waved me over to a wicker chair with a blue and gold cushion. The chair creaked when I sat down.

"Ok well I have a rough draft of your schedule and you can see if it's ok," she turned the computer screen toward me.

1: Trigonometry – Varner Rm. C 301

2: American Literature -- Barnes Rm. B 210

3: A.P. US History -- Walker Rm. B 204

4: Spanish – Goff Rm. A 108

Lunch – Building A

5: Biology 2 – Banner Rm. C 310

6: Gym – Clapp Rm. Gym

"How does that look for you sweetheart?" I was a little concerned about the AP US History.

"Is Miss Walker teaching that third period history class?"

"Oh yes! But don't worry dear; she assured me that she would grant you no favoritism," she said with a little smile.

"Then that should be fine with me. About next year's schedule—"

"Don't worry about that dear. We don't start senior scheduling till end of March," she assured me, "now I need to go through some of the school policy with you."

And for the next 30 minutes she lectured me about school rules and the tardy policy. Blah blah blah. I asked for a map when she was done. I walked through my schedule so I would have a faint idea where I was going. Then I made my way to Hailey's room I checked a clock on the wall, 5 minutes till the lunch bell. I knocked on the door and saw Hailey wave me in. I quietly walked in and took a seat in the back corner of the room.

"The battle of Gettysburg is arguably the turning point of the Civil War. What other battles can be seen as turning points?" Hailey was doing her lecture on the Civil War I was guessing.

I saw a hand rise near the front of the room, "Yes?"

"The battle of Vicksburg, the Union was able to move forward with the Anaconda Plan and split the south in half," a smooth voice explained.

The voice had a slight southern flare to it, almost Texan. He had honey blonde hair that was slightly curly at the ends. I recognized him as Alice's boyfriend, Jasper Hale. He was handsome I'll give Alice credit for that.

"Yes sir, Mr. Hale," Hailey commended then moved on. The bell rang when she was reviewing the Anaconda plan.

"Make sure you study the battles of the Civil War, quiz on Monday," the entire class groaned at her announcement. Once everyone left, Hailey grabbed all her stuff and waved me to the front.

"You are in my class it seems, Alice is in the class also," she commented while walking out toward her car.

I told her I could handle making my own lunch. After making lunch I decided to check my email. Renee had sent me a few emails to which I responded. I told her that Alice had gotten me a whole new wardrobe. I informed her that Emmett is doing fine and that Charlie was ok too. And she wanted to hear the dirt on and I quote, "Miss Southern Gold digger." To which I replied that she wasn't in the engagement for money and that she was a fine person.

After that I curled up on my bed and started rereading Romeo and Juliet. Before I knew it a knock resounded at the door downstairs. Alice and Rosalie were waiting for me. We all headed up to my room.

"Let me see your schedule Bella!" Alice chirped. I handed the folded piece of paper to her.

"Awesome! We have English, history, and Spanish together! Oh and you have biology with Edward. And you might have trig with Jasper. I'm not sure though".

She whipped out her phone and tapped away at the keys. Rosalie looked at the schedule replying that she didn't have any classes with me. That meant that no one had Gym with me. Alice's cell phone buzzed.

"Oh! You do have trig with Jasper. He'll save you a seat," she said then texted him back.

"Alice didn't you say we needed to do something?" Rosalie asked her.

"Yes! We need to find the perfect outfit for Bella's date with Edward tomorrow night," she replied and I groaned.

Alice quickly bounced up and made her way to my closet. She pulled out a pair of dark wash jeans.

"Rosalie I'm trying to go for a soft look that isn't too formal and shows how modest she is while still looking beautiful," Alice said thoughtfully. Rose got up and moved to the closet, then looked at me.

"How about this dusty rose color? It will bring out the pink in her cheeks. It's also a soft and becoming color," she explained while pulling out the top.

"Yes…simple but still feminine with the lace line at the top. Hmmm I know exactly what to put over this Oh! Here we go!"

Alice pulled out a cream long sleeve button down shirt. On closer examination I noticed that the top had floral print. Alice unbuttoned the top and draped it over the tank top on the hanger. **(A/N: Outfit on profile)**

"Perfect!" Alice squealed, "Now I need to look for shoes."

"Um Alice, not to ruin your fun or anything but could you go with something flat? I'm super clumsy and I don't want to wear heels," I explained.

"That's fine. I think Sperry's would be perfect with this," Alice said and contemplated the outfit. A knock sounded at the door and Hailey popped her head in.

"Bella, your dad was wondering if the Rosalie and Alice wanted to stay the night."

I looked over at the two of them.

"Sorry Miss Hailey, I can't stay," Rosalie said.

"Let me call my mom and I'll get back to you Miss Hailey," Alice said, simultaneously pulling out her cell phone.

"Let me know. I'm going to order in Chinese."

"Mom? It's Alice…I was wondering if I could stay at the Swan's house tonight? ...Miss Hailey is going to order Chinese…No I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you brought some over. Ok I'll be over in a minute. Bye. She said I could stay and that I needed to come by and get clothes."

"I need to head out then. My parents want me to go looks at colleges tomorrow. Knock him dead Bella," Rosalie said on her way out.

Alice and I made our way to the kitchen. Hailey was portioning out bread dough so it could rise. Charlie was in the living room with Emmett and Moose.

"Dad, Alice is going to stay the night. Oh! Tomorrow I am going to Port Angeles with Edward ok?" I tried to rush the last part.

"Edward?! I don't know isn't he a little old for you?" Charlie was getting red in the face.

"No Charlie, he's my twin brother. Don't worry I will drive her up there," Alice mended.

Charlie mumbled something I couldn't hear.

"Oh! Esme said that she made some of her pound cake with chocolate glaze and she wants you to have half of it," Alice said loud enough for both Charlie and Hailey to hear.

"Awesome," Emmett mumbled. He looked troubled for some reason.

We walked to the Cullen's house which was conveniently next door. The house was like a mansion. Everything was well decorated and so light and open. We went up to Alice's room first, which was huge. She packed up some clothes then grabbed some other things. We then went downstairs to the kitchen. The kitchen…it was beautiful with state of the art equipment. I thought I was going to faint.

Then a woman walked in. She, like Alice, was beautiful. Her hair was a caramel color that was styled as if she walked out of a 1940s silent film. Her features were soft and she was slender, taller than me probably about 5'6". When she looked at us I noticed that her eyes were a stunning shade of blue that seemed to look through your soul.

"Hello, you must be Bella?" her voice was soft and gentle.

"Yes ma'am. And you are Mrs. Cullen?"

"Call me Esme; Mrs. Cullen is Carlisle's mother. I'm not old enough to be called that," she said with a wave of her hand.

It took me a moment to recognize the aroma of freshly baked cake in the house. I looked to the side to find a glass dome filled with half of a pound cake. The cake was glazed with a beautiful chocolate layer.

"Here you go Bella. Your father absolutely loves this cake and I'm not sure about Emmett, he just inhales whatever is on the plate," she said with a smile. I took the pan from her.

"Be good Alice and try to stop by before whisking Bella and Edward off to Port Angeles. Love you."

"Love you too," Alice said while dragging me to the front door.

When we got back to my house I dropped the cake off in the kitchen. Hailey was putting bread into the oven. She stood up and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Alice, will you be a dear tomorrow and take your mom a loaf of my sweet bread?"

"No problem, Miss Hailey," Alice chirped.

"What do you two want from the Chinese place?" Hailey asked and pulled out the pamphlet.

"Shrimp Lo Mein," Alice and I said at the same time. We looked at each other then started giggling.

"Ok then. It will be another 30 minutes till it's here ladies. What are you two going to be up to?"

"Well, I'm preparing Bella for her date tomorrow. So I was going to give her a mani and pedi and then prep her for tomorrow," Alice said.

"Well if you two need any help let me know."

"Sure!" Alice said then dragged me up to my room, "30 minutes is all the time I need to give you a pedicure."

She started pulling out supplies and was focusing on color choice.

"Alice?"

"This pale pink will be perfect, yes Bella?" she said finally looking up.

"Why are you setting me up with Edward?"

She sighed and started to paint my toe nails. I was patient.

"Bella, you have to understand. I love my brother and I love you like a sister. And Edward is such a great guy and he deserves so much. He's dated a few girls that were totally wrong for him and the entire time he was a perfect gentleman to them.

And you told me about your problems with…your friend and I know you deserve better also. I just have this deep feeling that you two would be perfect for each other."

I thought for a moment and all my insecurities seemed to flood back.

"Alice…I've seen you and your mom and dad. All of you are absolutely beautiful so I'm guessing that Edward is too. And I…I'm so plain. I wouldn't compare to some of the people he's probably dated," I couldn't look at her.

"You're right Bella, you don't compare," I saw her look at me from the corner of my eye, "You are so much better than them. They don't compare to _you_. You don't see yourself clearly."

"I don't believe you…"

"Maybe Edward will convince you—"

"Girls, I have the Chinese. Do you want to go ahead and just eat it up here?" Hailey called from outside the door.

"Sure," I called back. Alice leaped up and got the stuff from her. We opened up the boxes and started eating before another knock sounded softly at the door. I got up this time and opened the door. Emmett was standing sheepishly at the door.

"Mind if I join you?"

"No, come in," I said opening the door a bit wider. He walked in with his food and sat in the rocking chair. Moose followed in behind him and curled up at his feet.

"So Emmett, why don't you fill her in about our little group," Alice suggested.

"Well who do you want me to start with?" Alice shrugged, "Ok then! Me it is!"

Emmett took another couple bites before talking.

"Well as you know Bells, I'm the star running back for the football team and I'm also taking up playing drums for the jazz band," he explained.

"Whatever a running back is," I mumbled. He stuck his tongue out at me.

"Very mature Emmett, and Jazz band? That's hot, I bet Rose got a kick out of that one," I teased.

"Hey! It's no joke! Jasper and Edward are joining also," he said followed by some food. So Edward was a musician also.

"Ok…and Rosie is on the robotics team which totally pissed off her parents. You don't mess with my Rosie. Just the other day this guy was trying to come onto her and she let him have it, set his whiny ass in its place," stars shined in his eyes as he spoke.

"Jasper is on the football team, great wide receiver couldn't make it as a running back, too much of a pansy ass—" he was cut off by Alice, who threw a pillow at him.

"What?! I sprechen the truth!" We all started laughing at his choice of words.

"But yeah, Princess Jasper also plays the saxophone in the jazz band," his statement was followed by another pillow.

"Then we have the ever so violent pixie here, who is the school photographer," I looked at her and she shot me a thousand watt smile, "and is also President of the National Art Honors Society."

"Then there's Edward, my best friend and unrelated little brother. He's the quarter back for the football team because he is even more of a pansy ass but with a good arm," another pillow, "he's also the piano player for the jazz band."

"Wow," it was all I could say.

"Yep and that's our personal circle," Emmett said before scooping out the last bit of his third carton.

"Oh and there are a few people that you are going to want to look out for," Alice said.

"You mean Slutzilla, Queen Ditz-a-lot, and Newton?" Emmett replied.

"Yeah, Bella, those are the code names for Lauren, Jessica, and Mike. Slutzilla is Lauren Mallory, she's the head cheerleader. Jessica Stanley is Queen Ditz-a-lot, Lauren's second in command. Then there is Mike Newton, one of the player's on the football team and school player," Alice explained, "So you need to watch out for them, they're vultures."

"And if that Newton guy tries anything on you, just let me know and I'll straighten him out," Emmett said while flexing his muscles.

"So Emmett, what color would you like your nails?" Alice asked to lighten the mood.

"Pfft, I thought you knew Alice? Anything hot pink and SPARK-LAY!" Emmett said in a super gay voice. We all doubled over laughing and Emmett said his goodbyes.

Alice finished up with my nails and we talked for a little while before getting some sleep. And all I could think about was how this date was going to go tomorrow.

**OK everyone, I know this chapter was bogged down in information but I'm almost done with the next chapter where we will get some Edward and Bella action. So please review, leave constructive criticism, and ideas are welcome! And I'm still looking for a beta for this story. So please PM me if you are interested. **


	3. Blind Date

**So I finally have the blind date chapter up. And I only received ONE review for the last chapter, makes me sad honestly. It's hard to type when you're sad. So I was thinking about something from Edward's POV in the next chapter. We'll see. Enjoy and review!**

_**Bella's POV**_

I was so nervous. And at the same time, I could not help but be angry with myself for agreeing to this blind date. I had been in Forks for two days and she already set me up with her brother on a blind date. So here I am, in Port Angeles waiting in a coffee shop. I rubbed at my eyes but stopped when I remembered the minimal makeup I was wearing. Alice put a little mascara and eyeliner on me and left me hair down in waves with very loose curls. So overall I guess I looked prettier than my usual plain self. She wanted us to meet at the coffee shop first and then go from there to a movie or dinner. And just to make sure I didn't skip out, she drove me up here and dropped me off.

The coffee shop was quaint and homely. There must have been wifi because a man in a suit was drinking some coffee and looking at something on his laptop. The shop was filled with the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and baked goods. Cinnamon, sugar, and coffee been swirled in the air while soft jazz music played in the background. I heard a ding and turned in my seat. A man…no, a Greek God walked in through the door.

I felt my breath catch in my throat. The man was almost as tall as Emmett but not nearly as thick. This man was lean but you could still tell that he was well defined and muscular. His hair was a strange bronze color that I'd never seen before and looked as though it was perfectly arranged into its current disarray. He wore a pair of blue jeans that fit him so well they could have been tailor made. The grey knit sweater he wore clung to his torso and you could see the white shirt underneath at the collar. The black cotton jacket on top with silver buttons made his features stand out, alabaster pale skin against the black jacket. My eyes moved to his face. A chiseled, well defined jaw and perfectly angular nose and cheekbones made him look more like a statue than a man. And then his eyes, the same emerald green that I'd seen on Alice and Dr. Cullen. The emerald orbs were framed by dark, black, and thick eyelashes that made his eyes stand out. And then…he smiled. But it wasn't any ordinary smile, it was a grin. And a crooked one at that but, it made my knees weak. I'd barely noticed that he was now standing in front of me.

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen, you're Bella Swan right?" his voice was velvet soft and almost seductive.

I could only manage a nod. He smiled that crooked grin that made my heart flutter. Then ever so slowly he picked up my hand and brought it to his lips. Locking eyes with me, he left a soft kiss on the top of my hand. The action sent a shock of electricity up my arm and left my hand burning. A blush made its way across my face and I diverted my eyes. I saw him sit down from the corner of my eye.

"So Alice said to meet you here, then we could decide where to go," he mentioned. I waited a moment for my blush to fade before looking up.

"Well, I'm not terribly hungry so we could go to a movie and then get dinner," I suggested. I watched as he mulled the idea over in his head and then smile.

"That sounds perfect," Edward stood up and held his hand out to me. The moment our hands touched there was that jolt again.

"The movie theatre isn't far from here, so we can walk if it's ok with you?"

I nodded and we made our way to the movie. We decided on a romantic comedy since nothing else seemed good. And surprisingly it was a good movie. Not overly romantic with a lot of good jokes. And yet there was that one scene where the two characters were alone and under the stars. The man confessed his feelings to the woman and they kissed, that moment when couples in the movie theatre were supposed to look at each other with the same fervor as the actors on screen and share their own kiss. And what was I doing? I was restraining myself from attacking Edward. That same electric current from the coffee shop didn't help either. The same electricity seemed to increase in volts when the lights went off in the movie theatre. Once it was over and the lights came on the electricity diminished to a small static discharge.

We walked out of the movie theatre and onto the sidewalk. Everything was lit by either the streetlights or the lights from the shop windows. It was starting to get colder with a light wind, but no rain. I walked close to Edward, our arms brushing as we walked.

"So where do you want to eat?" Edward asked out of nowhere.

"Well I don't really know any good places up here. What do you suggest?"

"Hmm, let's see. There is an Italian restaurant, a few fast food places, and this awesome pizza place isn't too far away."

"Awesome pizza place huh? Let's do that, I haven't had pizza in a couple weeks."

So we walked to the pizza place named The Italian Pie Otherwise Known as Pizza. The setting was laid back but rustic. We were able to get a private booth. The hostess all but ate Edward alive with her eyes. But who was I to feel jealous; it was only a blind date. The table was wooden without a table clothe. And a candle rested at the end of the table against the wall. It set a sort of mood that didn't seem to match the restaurant.

"Since this is the awesome pizza place that you've been to on more than one occasion I'm guessing, what do you suggest?"

"Well I usually get the mushroom, pepperoni, and three cheese pizza," he said.

My mouth watered at the thought, "That sounds delicious."

"We could share one? The pizza's here are pretty big. Alice and I usually share a medium."

"That sounds good," Sharing food, this would be a scene out of a Disney movie if it was spaghetti.

The waiter came over and took our order. Leaving behind the two Cokes we requested and a basket of bread sticks. I took one out and slowly pinched of parts to nibble on.

"So if you don't mind me asking, why did you move up here to Forks," Edward asked softly.

"Well, my parents have been divorced since I was two and I moved down to Phoenix with my mom. And she recently remarried," I paused to take another bite.

"And you don't like the guy?" He asked during the pause.

"No. Phil's great and he makes my mom happy. He's younger than her, but I guess that's okay, she's young for her age."

"So why move?"

"Phil plays baseball in the minor league so he is on the road a lot. But my mom couldn't go with him because she needed to stay home with me. And I could tell that she really missed him. So I decided to move up here to Forks," I finished.

"And now you're unhappy?"

"As long as she is happy then I'm ok. She isn't the only one I am making happy you know. Charlie has always wanted me to live up here and Emmett's missed me."

"How old are you Bella?" The question threw me off guard.

"I'm 17."

"You don't seem 17."

"Well how old are you?"

"I'm 17. And a junior before you ask. You just seem so mature for 17. Most other teenage girls would have stayed and made their parent miserable. But you…you seem so selfless." I blushed at the comment.

"I've never been much of a teenager. My mom says that I was born in my 30s and I get more middle aged every year. Someone had to be the grown up," I muttered the last part.

"So you were never really a kid?" He was starting to pry.

"Your point?" I was getting a little annoyed at his questions, he sounded like a therapist.

"It just doesn't seem fair," he surmised.

"Hasn't anyone told you that life isn't fair?"

"I guess they have," he said with a shrug. I decided to change the subject.

"So you and Alice are fraternal twins?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm 10 minutes older. How about we play twenty questions?"

"Ok. I'll start, what career path are you pursuing?"

"Well, my father is a doctor and he has crazy hours which has put some strain on our family at times. But, I really want to help people. So I am looking into clinical psychology or maybe even psychiatry." I was in awe as he spoke. He had such a clear idea of where he wanted to be.

"Wow, seems like you've put a lot of thought into this." He flashed me his crooked grin.

"Ok, what do you want to do when after college?" Should have seen that one coming…

"I love reading classical literature but, I also love to cook. So, I was thinking about either being an English teacher or starting my own restaurant. I'm not sure yet."

"Well, you could combine the two and write a cookbook," he suggested with a smile.

The pizza came and we continued our game. The pizza was amazing, the sauce was perfectly seasoned, the cheese was abundant and gooey, and the bread was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The check came and I fought with Edward about payment.

"But you paid for the movie," I whined. He just grinned at me.

"Yes but this is a date and traditionally speaking, the guy pays for the dinner," he argued.

"But I'm not a traditional type of girl. Let's go Dutch?"

"Nope," he popped the p and handed the check back to the waiter with a bill inside, "No change."

We headed out into the night and further from his car than before. I looked up and could barely see the stars through the clouds. More stars than I would have seen in Phoenix of course. The wind picked up and a cold breeze whipped by us. I couldn't contain the shiver that wracked my body, suddenly realizing that Alice hadn't anticipated the nighttime chill. Edward noticed my shiver.

"Are you cold?" he asked. And before I could answer he had taken off his jacket and placed it on my shoulders. The jacket was warm so I pulled my arms through the sleeves. Subtly, I sniffed at the jacket, curious as to what he smelled like. The scent was sweet and made my thoughts scatter.

"Won't you get cold?" I was worried that now he would be cold.

"I'll be fine," he spoke with a shrug. Some guys were staring at us as we walked by and Edward wrapped an arm around my shoulder. We finally made it to a Silver Volvo. Edward opened the door for me before getting in himself.

Once he started the car, Clair de Lune filled the car. Seeming embarrassed, he turned down the music. Before he could turn all the way to mute I stopped him.

"You know, Clair de Lune is great," I spoke quietly.

"You know Debussy?" He seemed shocked.

"I only know my favorites and Clair de Lune is one of them," I finished with a shrug. Edward looked at me in awe.

"Most girls I've dated hated Classical music," he spoke softly.

"I'm definitely not most girls." He gazed at me for some time before putting the car in reverse. We talked all the way home, with classical piano music playing in the background. And the conversation was…easy. We had similar taste in music and movies. The conversation seemed to flow without an awkward pause. And within an hour we arrived at my house much to my displeasure. Edward got out and opened the car door for me and then closed it behind me. We stayed next to the car.

"I had an amazing time," he whispered to me.

"I did too," whispering a reply.

I watched as conflict made its way to his eyes. His hands found mine in the dark and he intertwined our fingers. We stood there, but it wasn't awkward. He leaned forward and I closed my eyes. But to my disappointment those lips touched my forehead. I sighed as they lingered there for a moment and he pulled away. Then something in me knew what to do next. I pulled away and walked to the door. Opening it and watching him as I slowly closed the door. I looked at the nearest clock and it read 9:30. Charlie was asleep on the couch and Hailey was grading papers. I crept up the stairs and into my bedroom. I closed the door softly and slid down the door.

I felt something strange in my heart. Something I never thought would happen, something I thought I already knew. The feeling was foreign. I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and scrolled down to Alice.

_Thank-you_

**Sooooooo? What did you guys think? Well don't answer out loud, people nearby might think you're crazy ;). So instead, answer me in a review. Let me know what you think, any suggestions, and of course ideas. Still looking for a Beta, because I do make mistakes as you've noticed, so if you are interested shoot me a PM. Please review, I feel sad that I as of 9:03 I only have one review. So review pretty please with Edward Cullen and Taylor Lautner on top. **


	4. I Just Haven't Met You Yet

**I would like to give a big shout out to Edwardrocksmysocks and .twilight2 for being my only reviewers on the last chapter. I'm working on the next chapter so please send me ideas in reviews and if I think I can work it in I will try. Also I am extending the chance of a sneak peek of the next chapter to anyone that reviews. As always: Enjoy!**

**Edward's POV**

_Come on Eddie, Im head cheerleader your the quarterback we are sooooooo made for each other :) 3 :). I said I was sorrys. Its not your fault that she cant take pictures to save her life. :) 3_

I shook my head at the spelling mistakes. Lauren just didn't know when to quit…and how to make contractions. I removed the post from my Facebook wall and logged out. I spun around in my chair and looked at the ceiling. Alice had gone to see the new neighbor girl…I think her name was Isabella. And Emmett couldn't come over for the same reason. Jasper's parents were still pissed that he was going to join the Jazz Band with Emmett and I. Speaking of which I could work on my audition piece. Not to be arrogant or anything but I'm pretty sure I had the spot. I doubt many other people could play the piano. I sat down at the baby grand that now sat in the corner of my room. I started playing the jazz piece then decided to move to something I'd heard on the radio lately. The beat was a pop jazz feel and I started singing along.

_I'm not surprised  
Not everything lasts  
I've broken my heart so many times  
I stopped keeping track_

_Talk myself in  
I talk myself out  
I get all worked up  
Then let myself down_

_I tried so very hard not to lose it  
I came up with a million excuses  
I thought I thought of every possibility_

_And I know that some day that it'll all turn out  
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out  
And I promise you kid I give so much more than I get mmmm...  
I just haven't met you yet!_

_  
I might have to wait,  
I'll never give up,  
I guess it's __half timing, and the other half's luck,  
Wherever you are,  
Whenever it's right,  
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life._

And I know that we can be so amazing,  
And baby your love is going to change me,  
And now I can see every possibility, mmmmmm....

Somehow I know that it'll all turn out,  
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out,  
And promise you kid, I'll give so much more than I get, mmmm....  
I just haven't met you yet.

_  
They say alls fair  
I__n love and war  
But I wont need to fight it,  
We'll get it right and,  
We'll be united_

I kept playing, hearing the trumpets and band in my head. I heard the door open behind me and saw Alice standing there. She was smiling and I stopped.

"Why did you stop? You were playing so well," She said and sat on the bench next to me.

"Would you like me to continue?" I offered.

"I need to ask you something first," Alice sounded a bit mischievous in that instant.

"Shoot," I turned back to the keys.

"Well you know how Emmett's sister just moved to Forks and I've known her for a couple years now, and Edward you guys would be perfect for each other—" It was rude, but I cut her off.

"Your point Alice?"

"Well I was wondering if you would go on a blind date with her?" she batted her eyelashes at me.

"I don't know Alice…"

"Come on Edward I was right about _all_ those girls being terrible for you, please?" she kept batting those eyelashes and stuck out her bottom lip, there was no way I was going to win.

"Fine…should I start at the beginning?"

"Please? Oh and I figure you should see a picture of her!" She hopped up and the next thing I knew she was bringing in her laptop.

A picture was on the screen of an angel. Her brown hair was the shade of newly polished mahogany wood that waved with soft curls framing her face. The perfect heart shape of her face was delicate and an ivory color. A little button nose and then those eyes, even in the picture they shined and seemed bottomless. The exact shade of milk chocolate, framed with thick brown eyelashes. I blinked a few times and turned back to the keys. And started over but this time I sang and played with a new fervor. I made it to the instrumental break and Alice started singing along with me.

_And I know that we can be so amazing,  
And being in your life is going to change me,  
And now I can see every single possibility, mmmmmm__, you know it'll all turn out.  
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out,  
And promise you kid to give so much more than I get, yeah  
I just haven't met you yet._

And someday I know it'll all turn out,  
And I'll work to work it out,  
Promise you kid I'll give more than I get  
Than I get, than I get, than I get.

Oh

I just haven't met you yet.  
Oh, promise you kid,  
To give so much more than I get.

(Alice) I said love, love, love, love, love, love, love...  
I just haven't met you yet.  
(Alice) Love, love, love...  
So doy day ay ay ay, ay ay yeah  
I just haven't met you yet!

I ended the chord, letting it hang in the air before turning to Alice.

"When and where?" I asked with a sigh.

She squealed before answering, "Saturday night around 6 at the coffee shop so you can decide where to go from there in Port Angeles."

I sighed and pulled the cover over the keys.

"Oh Edward, you guys are going to be perfect! I just know it! I was right about Rose and Em was I not?"

"Yes you were…what if she is like the others?" I ended with a sigh. Where was all this sighing coming from?

"Oh please. You wouldn't even begin to understand how different she is. But you'll find out!" she said practically skipping out of the room. I groaned. Emmett was going to kill me for sure. Dinner passed as usual and I went up to my room. A text came from Emmett.

_Gym afterschool?_

_Sure, who is going to take Aly and Bella home?_

_Bells isn't going to school and Alice can take the truck. _Alice hates that truck.

_Ok then. See ya tom._

I'm guessing he didn't know about the date yet. Or maybe he was trying to act like it wasn't going to happen. Either way, I was going to be dead eventually.

I shot up in bed when I heard my alarm clock go off. I groaned and feel back against the bed. I was having a dream, no, a flashback to when I was 5.

There was a little girl that had brown hair in two soft pigtails. Her little dress was pink with yellow flowers here and there. As I got closer I noticed the splatter of freckles on her cheeks and nose. Those doe brown eyes shined at me. I recognized those eyes…this was Bella. I'd met her before? Why couldn't I remember? I shook the thought off and got ready for school. Grabbing a piece of toast I headed out and started the car. It was unusually warm for late January, usually meant some type of freeze the next week. Alice came skipping out of the house and threw her stuff in the backseat. The school was barely 10 minutes away but I always made it in 5. I took my parking spot near the front of the school, Emmett parking next to me in that monster red truck and Rosalie on my other side in her red convertible. Emmett tossed Alice the keys to the truck which she took reluctantly. We made our way into the school and I headed to my English class. And of course, sitting on my desk and waiting for me was Lauren.

"Eddie! There you are! You never responded to my Facebook post," she whined in her sneering voice. I hated that nickname.

"Yeah, and you never learned how to use contractions," I shot back. I waited for her to get off my desk.

"Don't be like that Eddie," she whined again. My hand clenched into a fist at the utterance of that dreadful nickname.

"Stop calling me Eddie and get off my desk," my tone wasn't as polite this time.

She hopped off my desk.

"Just you wait, Cullen. You'll be begging for me to come back," she sneered and whipped her head around. Hitting me in the face with her overly hair sprayed hair. The rest of the day went similarly with Jessica and other girls. By the time I got to lunch, I was nearly fed up.

"Looks like Slutzilla and her cheerwhores got to ya," Emmett said while sitting at the table.

"That's an understatement. Why did I go out with her again?"

"'Cause she wouldn't leave you alone and appeasing her would shut her up. Your plan backfired though," he replied.

"Tell me about it," I groaned and leaned my head against my palm.

"She was in your war class!" I heard Alice squeal.

"Yes, but I think she was waiting for Miss Hailey. I doubt she is in my History of American War class, it's a senior class and not many girls take it," I heard Jasper reason with her.

"I can't wait to find out about her schedule," Alice chirped.

"What are you guys talking about?" I was curious as to who Alice was speaking so enthusiastically about.

"Jasper said that Bella came into his war class during the last 5 minutes," Alice explained.

There was no way she was in that class; it's an exclusive senior class. You had to take American History and Ancient civilizations before that class.

"And I was explaining to her that she was probably just waiting for Miss Hailey to finish," Jasper added.

"So Lauren posted to my Facebook wall yesterday that it wasn't my fault that you couldn't take pictures to save your life," I told Alice, moving to another subject.

"And it's not my fault that she is a bitch that decided to sneeze while I took those pictures," Alice was livid.

"Don't worry; I think she is still licking her wounds after you told her off last week. Make sure you warn Bella about Lauren, Jessica, and Newton," I was worried about what would happen if any of them got their hands on her.

"I'll take care of Newton if he even looks at her the wrong way," Emmett said flexing his muscles. The muscles I fear are going to flex me when he hears about my attraction to his little sister.

"Me too," Rosalie added. I wouldn't piss her off either.

"Rose, do you want to go with me to Bella's this afternoon?" Alice asked Rosalie.

"Sure, can you give me a ride?"

"No problem but we'll be in Emmett's…truck," Alice finished with a grimace. Rosalie pulled out her keys and tossed them to Jasper.

"Dude, Edward and I are going to the gym. Want to join?" Emmett added. Jasper nodded while taking a bite from his apple.

"I haven't lifted in awhile anyway," Jasper said after swallowing. We continued talking until the bell rang.

The rest of the day went by without issue. And I headed to the gym with Emmett and Jasper. Running on the treadmill helped me blow off some steam; I finished up with some bench presses. By the time I got home it was time for dinner and I discovered that Alice was staying at the Swan's house. So I had a private dinner with my mom. Once I got in my room I noticed that Alice had left me some choices for tomorrow and a note for reminder, as if she needed to remind me. The scalding hot shower soothed my muscles and I went to bed. Once again dreaming about the angel I would finally meet tomorrow. When I woke up I went straight to my piano.

Inspiration hit me without warning. The music flowed through my hands and formed into a complicated piece of music. It was sweet and soft, a lullaby. The entire time I thought of Bella but it was incomplete. I kept playing but hit a wall of blank each time. Maybe once I met her, I could resolve the block. No, I knew once I met her that I could complete this piece. Suddenly frustrated I decided to go for a run. I looked at the clock…8:18. My parents weren't up and there was still 9 hours before I needed to leave. Once I started running I felt at ease. The wind in my hair, the burning sensation of breathing in cold air, and the ache of my muscles, it was all so freeing. Running made me feel at peace just me, the ground, and the cool air. After running a couple miles I headed back home. Once I stepped in the door I could smell coffee and tea, which meant my parents were up. I decided to take a shower first. I changed into the pair of jeans Alice had left out and then a white cotton tee shirt.

My dad was reading the newspaper and my mom was humming over some design plans. My dad drinking his coffee and my mom with her tea and both still in sleep wear.

"Edward, sweetheart, are you hungry?" my mom asked looking up from her plans.

"I'm fine mom, I can make myself some cereal," I replied with a wave of my hand. I made my cereal and took a seat at the table. We chatted until Alice walked through the door with bags in tow.

"I'm home!" she called. Then she skipped into the kitchen with a wrapped think rectangle.

"Miss Hailey made some of Dad's favorite sweet bread," she said handing the package to Mom.

"Wonderful!" my mom replied.

"Sweet bread?" I'm pretty sure that was all he heard. Mom unwrapped the package and cut a slice off for all of us. Once everyone was done we went our separate ways, Alice right behind me all the way up to my room.

"Something you need?" I finally asked.

"Nope, but, I have some information," she replied with a wicked smile.

"Really?" I tried to sound uninterested and nonchalant.

"Well I found out that Bella is in your biology class and didn't you switch to Gym last period?"

"Yeah…why?" Bella was in my biology class! I hadn't even met her yet and I was excited.

"Well, Bella just so happens to have Gym that same period," she replied.

She filled me in about last night and a bunch of stuff before 4:30 rolled around.

"Now go get ready! Make yourself handsome and irresistible," Alice said while hopping up.

"No preparation needed for that," I replied with a big smile.

The comment earned me a slap to the shoulder. I feigned injury and she left with a giggle. Once she was gone I headed into my bathroom and brushed my teeth and attempted to tame my hair. Then I slipped on a grey long sleeve sweater and my black jacket. Grabbing my wallet and cell phone I headed out to my car. I was in Port Angeles in little under 45 minutes. It wasn't even 6 yet so I headed to the flower shop. Looking through the flowers I realized that I didn't even know what she preferred. Would she like roses? Or does she prefer wildflowers? There was so much I didn't know. I ran my hand through my hair a couple times, well there went the effort of making my hair look presentable.

I left my car where it was parked and headed to the coffee shop that Alice and I had been to a couple times. After taking a few breaths I walked into the shop. And when I saw her my heart skipped a few beats. She was sitting there in the shop so innocently and turned when the bell had rung. Her mouth formed into a small "o" and her eyes lit up. The pink in her outfit brought out the pink undertones in her skin. Those bottomless pools of chocolate brown moved up and down my body and finally made their way to my own eyes. Time seemed to stand still and all I could do was smile. Then the most beautiful blush I had ever seen filled her face. In the picture I could only see her face and now I could see all of her. She was petite but not as tiny as my sister and, slender but soft. Her curves were perfect, she was perfect. Until this moment I didn't think that love at first sight existed. How wrong was I? I had to hear her voice, had to find out if it was as perfect as her. What was I thinking? How could it _not_ be perfect?

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen, you're Bella Swan right?"

She nodded and I smiled. And I did the only thing I could think of. I picked up her tiny hand in mine and lifted it slowly to my lips, making sure to look in her eyes the whole time. I pressed a kiss to the top of her hand and watched the blush creep across her face again. And very subtly I breathed in her scent, floral, possibly Freesia or maybe lavender with an undercurrent of strawberry. We decided to go to the movie first, a romantic comedy. I barely paid any attention to the movie. Instead, I watched her from the corner of my eye. It took all my self control not to wrap my arm around her shoulders. So I just watched. I watched the way her nose crinkled when she smiled, the lines her face made when she laughed. And not to mention the electricity flowing in the air the minute the lights went down.

We walked out into the night air and I was surprised how much more self control it took to not wrap my arm around her. It felt so right to do so, but it was only the first date. We made our way to my favorite pizza place on the west coast. Nothing beat deep dish Chicago style pizza but this had to be a close second. And I liked the long winded but witty name. We were seated in a private booth…with a candle. Sheesh, talk about trying to create a mood. I told her about my favorite pizza and she wanted to share with me. That was a first; most girls opted to get a salad wherever I took them.

I decided to ask her why she moved up to Forks. Emmett mentioned that she didn't like the wet or cold. I listened carefully to her reasoning and I knew I was prying to an extent. I was in awe as I listened to her, she was so selfless.

"Hasn't anyone told you that life isn't fair?" she pointed out. And she did have a point.

We played twenty questions and she asked me about my aspirations. And I told her about psychology leaving out my secret dream to record a few songs. Most girls wanted to find a guy with a stable future. And she told me about reading and cooking. If I had asked any other girl that I had dated they would have said they wanted to be: an actress, a model, a cheerleader, or strive for world peace. After the pizza came, I was thrilled to learn that she was as much in love with the pizza as I was. I also learned that her favorite color was green but, she wouldn't tell me why and that her favorite flowers are carnations, freesia being a close second. And then she argued with me about the check. She wanted to pay! I managed to pay but not without effort.

Once we were outside, the night definitely left a chill in the air. From the corner of my eye I saw Bella shiver. I offered her my jacket and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, unable to resist any longer.

"Won't you get cold?" she asked me.

"I'll be fine," I wasn't lying. With her next to me like this my body was on fire. She didn't know what she did to me.

I opened the door to the Volvo for her and closed it behind her. Before I could remember the car filled with the sounds of piano music. I scrambled to turn it down, afraid that she wouldn't like it. But her little hand stopped mine and I looked at her.

"You know, Clair de Lune is great," Bella whispered.

"You know Debussy?" I was in shock. This heart breakingly beautiful girl knew classical music.

"I only know my favorites and Clair de Lune is one of them," she replied.

"Most girls I've dated hated Classical music," I explained quietly.

"I'm definitely not most girls," she whispered.

No she definitely wasn't. Bella was much better than all those other girls. She ate pizza with me and didn't order a salad then wanted to pay for dinner. She liked carnations not roses and enjoyed classical music. Not to mention she was absolutely beautiful. I agree, she wasn't most girls. We drove back to Forks with classical music in the background and still talking. No awkward silences and no small talk. I tried to drive slower than usual but we arrived at her house too soon. Being the gentleman my mother taught me to be; I opened her car door and helped her out. And we stood in the dark.

"I had an amazing time," I whispered to her. I wasn't lying.

"I did too," she whispered back. My heart soared at her words.

That's when the inner conflict started. I wanted to kiss her so badly but, the timing didn't seem right. I intertwined our fingers because I couldn't think of anything else. I finally made up my mind and leaned toward her. She closed her eyes expectantly. Gently, I pressed my lips to her forehead, taking in her sweet scent. Her skin may have smelled floral but her hair smelled of strawberries. I pulled away and she kept her eyes shut. Then she opened her eyes and I looked into those chocolate pools before she pulled away and went to the door. Slowly, she opened the door, walked in, and then slowly shut it, watching me the whole time.

I headed back to my car and went home. It was only 9:30 so I figured my parents wouldn't mind if I played the piano for a little bit. I rushed home before the missing piece would escape me. Running up to my room I played through the lullaby I had created and then added the missing parts. Once I was done the melody was intricate and flowing with as much beauty as the angel that had inspired it.

My mind was made up. I was going to risk getting killed by Emmett Swan. And I was going to make Bella mine.

**Ok, what did you guys think? The song Edward was singing is Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble. And I know this didn't have much dialogue and was mentally wordy. But what can I say? It's Edward Cullen we are talking about.**

**I'm still looking for a beta cause I am far from perfect I do my best to proofread but I'm sure there are some errors (which I deeply apologize for). So if you are interested in beta-ing please let me know. Remember I am extending the offer of a sneak peek of the next chapter to any reviewers. So until next time, arrivederci!**


	5. First Day of School

**OK here is chapter 5! The search is over. I have found a Beta so I would like to give a huge shout out to Edwardrocksmysocks for being my Beta! So please review! I only got a couple reviews for the last chapter. Makes me a little sad really, so how about people review?**

_**Bella's POV**_

Ugh! I groaned when I heard my alarm clock going off. First day at a new school and the second freeze was coming in. I dragged myself out of bed and to my closet. Looking quickly I pulled out one of the many pairs of jeans that Alice had stocked. I pulled on a white cotton bra next and stood looking at the shirts. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the floral blouse I'd worn Saturday night and my heart fluttered. I didn't see Alice on Sunday but she made sure to call me and asked for all the details. I pulled out a grey tank top like the one from Saturday night with the lace on top. Then I pulled on a long sleeve v-neck sweater that was black and cashmere. It was snug, showing curves I didn't know I had.

I made my way into the bathroom and proceeded to brush the haystack also known as my hair. After lots of pulling and a great deal of effort it looked presentable and I pushed my hair back into a headband. Then I brushed my teeth thoroughly and swallowed one of my birth

control pills with some water after I had rinsed. I applied a light layer of mascara and some eyeliner. I found a pair of black chucks and pulled those on before grabbing my backpack. Everyone was in the kitchen, getting ready for the day. Charlie and Hailey were drinking coffee, while throwing back Emmett throwing back about five eggs. I opted for a granola bar and glass of milk. Hailey headed out leaving my dad with a kiss on the cheek. Emmett finally noticed my presence and flashed me a huge grin as Moose started scratching at the door.

"I swear he is more punctual than I am," Charlie mumbled.

Soon we started heading out.

"So Bells, ready for purgatory?" Emmett asked during the drive.

"Never more ready," I replied as he parked.

Alice, Edward, Jasper, and Rose were waiting for us in front of their cars. I walked up shyly looking at Edward, who shot me a dazzling grin that made me blush.

"So Bella, the bell rings in about five minutes. Jasper," she looked up at the man she had her arms linked with, "is in you r trig class so he will show you there."

He smiled at me. His light blue eyes alight with chivalry. Everyone dispersed and Edward left me with a wink. Jasper was at my side at once.

"May I escort the lady to class?" He said in his best southern gentleman voice, offering me his arm.

I took it with a smile and we made our way to math. He sat in the back with an empty seat next to him. Trig was uneventful and seemed to pass quickly. Soon enough, I was walking to my English class, where I found Alice already there holding a seat for me.

"So are you the new girl? Isabella Swan?" A sneering voice inquired from behind me.

"Yes I am," I answered turning around.

The girl was wearing a heavy amount of make up making her fishy eyes look over dramatic. Her silver blonde hair was straightened into a classic prep hair do. The top she was wearing was low cut and she positioned her arms into an uncomfortable looking position that pushed her boobs together. I wanted to laugh but I kept a straight face.

"Hmmm, there's special about you really. I'm the head cheerleader so I suggest you keep on my good side," she informed me, sticking her nose up in the air.

"Honestly, I don't care," I said and pushed past her and to take my seat. I heard her huff and go to her seat with some equally fake looking girls. So this was Lauren aka Slutzilla. Good to know. The teacher handed me a list of books I would need to have read for the exam and books that we will read.

_The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Awakening, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, and Their Eyes Were Watching God. _

Lovely, I'd read the first few already in Phoenix and we had been reading _The Great Gatsby _when I left. So far it wasn't terrible but I swear these English teachers found more meaning in some of these stories than the author themselves. Alice was there though so that made things a little better. We were discussing why Gatsby had bought the girl a new dress to avoid conflict when Jessica Stanley decided to speak up.

"So I don't see the issue. I mean she got a new dress, what's wrong with that? I wouldn't complain if a guy bought me an expensive designer dress. And what's up with all the big words? I can barely read this book."

Well she definitely lived up to her nickname, Queen Ditz-a-lot.

I sighed. Thankfully, the bell rang so Alice and I walked to history. Once I was in the door, Hailey handed me a textbook.

"I told them at the beginning of the year to call me Miss Hailey not Miss Walker and I warn you that this course is more rigorous than any other APUSH class in this country. We are starting World War 1," Hailey whispered to me.

I nodded and headed to my seat, next to Alice. On the board World War 1 was written in big letters. I looked around and noticed that there were only about ten people. None of which seemed to belong to Lauren and Jessica's posse. Hailey was an excellent teacher and covered everything. She made us answer questions and repeat things.

"Bella!" Hailey called on me.

"Yes," I answered shyly.

"What is MAIN?"

"It's the acronym for the reasons of WW1; Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism," I replied.

"Good, now everyone repeat after me MAIN: Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism." No one dared to defy her and repeated after her.

I had to admit having her as a teacher was really…weird. I knew that my classmates knew that she was going to be my step mother so the eyes that kept staring at me after I answered the question bothered me. The thought of not doing well or any slacking off in class reaching my father's ears didn't sit well with me either. Of course, she was a great teacher though so I tried to banish the thoughts and concentrate of what she was telling us.

"Grab a document on the way out. I want you to do an analysis of it to turn in tomorrow!" She called as we filed out. Next up, was Spanish.

"Hola, Isabelle!" Senora Goff greeted me. She handed me a textbook also and I made my way to a seat with Alice. This teacher seemed to be rather out there and when she had her back turned, she didn't hear a word that anyone said.

"You should have been here when Miss Hailey introduced herself to our class," Alice said with a giggle.

"What happened?"

"Well she told us to call her Miss Hailey and was telling us about how hard her course was designed to be. Last year only a few people got less than a 3 on the AP exam. This year she's determined to only a have a couple, but at the time Lauren and Jessica were in the class. To determine if we would fare well she made us answer some basic questions, nothing too difficult. It was a verbal test so she went around and asked questions.

She went to Jessica at one point and asked her, 'Name one significance of cotton."

To which Jessica responded, 'Well cotton was used to make this awe-some jacket I'm wearing but I think that spandex and leather is more significant.'

Miss Hailey just blinked at her a couple times and said, 'Miss Stanley I think it would be prudent of you to switch into the lowest level of American History and not waste my time.'"

"No!" I couldn't believe it.

"Yes! And she moved on to Lauren next and asked her, 'Name three of the thirteen colonies of pre-revolutionary America.'

And Lauren answered, 'Why is that important? I mean we live in Washington, not on the east coast. I don't even get the point of this class, most of the focus is on the east. And I thought there were fifty states not thirteen colonies.'"

"You have to be joking?" There was no way. She couldn't be that stupid could she?

"Miss Hailey raised her eyebrows at Lauren, turned to her desk and started writing on some sheets of paper.

'Miss Stanley, Miss Mallory, please take these passes to the Guidance Counselor and switch into the lowest possible level of American History. I will not stand for such stupidity in this class; you are wasting my time and my other students' chance at doing well on the AP exam. I suggest that you leave my sight this instant.'" Alice copied Hailey's southern accent perfectly.

I laughed quietly as Alice filled me in on more of Lauren and Jessica's blunders until the bell rang for lunch. We walked out of the class room and Alice showed me a quicker path to the cafeteria. The room was crowded and rather loud. Pulling on my arm, Alice showed me to where they sat. It was a remote area of the cafeteria and significantly quieter. The table seemed private and close to a door. I put my stuff down and pulled out the apple and water I had brought for lunch. Jasper was the next to come in taking his seat on the other side of Alice. Emmett and Rosalie sat next to Jasper. That left one seat next to me for…Edward. And speak of the devil, he filed in next and took the seat next to me.

"Hello Bella, how is your first day going?" He asked ever so politely.

"Have any exciting encounters with the cheerwhores and their queen bee?" Emmett asked while chewing on a slice of pizza.

"I had a slight encounter with Lauren earlier but nothing terribly damaging," I replied with a shrug.

"So what classes do you have after lunch, Bella?" Edward asked.

"Um…I have Biology 2 and Gym," I tried not to stutter.

"Mr. Banner and Coach Clapp?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied and took a bite from my apple.

"Then I have those classes with you," he told me with a smile.

Alice and Rosalie beamed at each other from across the table. Emmett was blissfully unaware of anything outside of his food. Jasper shook his head.

"Emmett," Edward said getting his attention.

"What up bro?" Emmett said with food in his mouth.

"Jazz band auditions afterschool…" as if it was a cue for Emmett to say something.

"Oh yeah! Bells, here are the keys to the truck," he spoke while digging in his pocket then tossing me the keys.

"Do you need a ride home Alice?" I asked.

"Yes, if you wouldn't mind," she replied and I shook my head.

Everyone chatted for a little longer until the bell rang. I got up and found Edward waiting for me. We walked together in silence barely touching but, a small electric current was there…between our arms. It was maddening. The classroom had a couple of rows of black top tables that you normally see in science classes. A vast array of animals, plants, and posters filled the room.

"Isabella Swan?" An older man that was starting to bald called me. I walked to the desk at the front of the room.

"Yes sir?"

"Here is your textbook and you can sit," he looked over at me and scanned the class, "next to Mr. Cullen."

I nodded and headed to where I saw Edward sitting. I put my stuff down and next thing I knew someone was standing next to me. I looked up to see a guy with blonde hair and a baby face looking at me. His hair was carefully styled into spikes.

"Hello?" I said because the staring was just awkward.

"Hey, I'm Mike Newton!" He said staring straight down my shirt. I pulled my body up and crossed my arms over my chest. So this was Newton.

"Bella," I replied quickly.

"It's good to meet you Bella!" he spoke with a wink. I shook my head as I turned in my seat. Edward looked tense so I reached out and put my hand on top of his.

"Edward? Are you ok?"

He seemed to relax under my touch. After a minute he turned and looked at me, then smiled.

"I'm fine! Ready to start? Lab partner," he said pulling the microscope to him. I had hardly noticed that Mr. Banner had passed out a lab.

"What is it on?" I was starting to panic a little, wondering exactly how far along they were here.

"The stages of mitosis in…" he glanced at the paper, "onion root cells."

Oh! I was relieved. We had already done this lab in Phoenix just with Whitefish Blastula. That meant I was ahead. Edward put in the first slide and looked up at me.

"Lady's first," he said pushing the microscope to me.

I glanced at the slide.

"Prophase," I stated confidently

Edward looked at me skeptically, "Mind if I check?"

I waved my hand at the microscope. He pulled it towards him then looked in the lens.

"Prophase," he mumbled.

"Like I said," I replied and he quickly wrote it on the sheet.

He replaced the slide with another one. With barely a glance, he told me Anaphase.

"Mind if I check?" I mocked him. He copied my hand wave.

He was right.

"Anaphase."

"Like I said," he mocked me back.

I looked up at Edward to see him smirking and writing on the lab. We went through the rest of the lab and ended up finishing before everyone else. Edward followed me to turn in the lab.

"You're finished already! Edward you should have let Isabella do some of the lab!" Mr. Banner was incredulous.

"Actually Mr. Banner, _Bella_ and I did the work equally," Edward corrected him.

Mr. Banner turned to me.

"Have you done this lab before?" He asked.

Oops, caught.

"Not with onion root, sir."

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Whitefish blastula?"

"Yeah, I was in the advanced placement class at my old school," I told him hoping it didn't seem like I was bragging.

"Oh…well it's a good thing you're lab partners then," he mumbled.

We went back to our seats and it was awkwardly quiet for a little bit.

"So, good luck on your audition later," I broke the silence.

"Thanks…do you play any instruments?"

"Not really, my mom wanted me to play the flute or some type of instrument but nothing really stuck. I stick to singing along with the radio into my hairbrush in front of my mirror. It makes an excellent audience, no criticisms or complaints." I said with a nervous chuckle.

Did I really just say all that to him?

He just smiled.

"What's your favorite movie?" he asked randomly.

"Um, I like a variety of movies. V for Vendetta was pretty good but I have soft spot for Disney movies. Dori is my absolute favorite character ever," I confessed.

Why was I saying all this? What was it about this boy that made me just spill so much information about myself?

"Well they are called Classics for a reason. I preferred Lion King and Aladdin though. Much more exciting," he replied.

"As far as comic book movies go...Daredevil and Elektra turned out well. I can say the same for 300 and Batman, but I didn't particularly care for Watchmen."

I nodded.

"So what do you do in your free time?" I asked.

"Well, I play the piano and I take time to perfect classics. I do like to read but I find playing the piano much more relaxing. Being on the football team means that I need to stay in shape so I also run. Running is like second nature to me. I feel free when I run. What do you do?"

_Think about you_, I thought.

"I read the classics several times over. And I like to cook and bake."

"What books are on your nightstand?" I wondered how he knew I kept books on my night stand.

"I only keep my favorites or current reads on my nightstand. So my favorites would be: Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre. But I'm also working on Macbeth so that's on my nightstand too," I said blushing a bit.

"I'm not a big fan of those," he replied.

"Why?" How could you _not_ like the classics?

"I just think they bring their misfortunes upon themselves," he explained with a shrug.

"I don't have the time to argue with you," I said dismissively.

"Don't get me wrong, the classics are excellent. I just think that the characters are insufferable. It's like Macbeth said:

'Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more…'

They made their mistakes which cost them their happiness and/or lives," he reasoned.

I remembered that quote.

"Macbeth isn't a favorite of mine but, I see your point."

The bell rang breaking up our conversation and he walked me to Gym. Coach Clapp gave me a pair of blue shorts and a grey short sleeve shirt that read _Forks HS Physical Education_ in gold lettering.

I went in the locker room to change. There were quite a few girls in the class, a few of which I remembered. I recognized Angela, a nice girl that seemed to be in a few of my classes. Then I saw Lauren and Jessica. I looked away from them quickly and changed quicker than before. I had forgotten to bring tennis shoes so the chucks would have to do. I looked at my appearance taking it all in. The shorts came down about mid thigh, not quite as short as Soffe shorts but shorter than I had expected of gym shorts. The grey shirt fit as well and wasn't as baggy as I would have wished. I walked out of the locker rooms and into the main gym. Edward waved at me. I could have died. He looked amazing in his blue shorts and white shirt that read _FHS Varsity Football_ in gold letters. Once I was closer I realized how fit he really was. His calves were defined along with his forearms. His shirt was such a close fit that you could see his muscles. I stood next to him for warm up and tried not to drool as I watched his muscles flex.

"Ok everyone listen up! We are going to start Badminton so partner up," Coach Clapp boomed at us.

"What do you say? Partners?" Edward asked me.

"Are you sure? I'm really clumsy and if you choose to be my partner I can't be held responsible for any injury you may befall on my behalf," I explained.

"I think I can manage," he said with a huge smile.

I gasped as I felt someone push me from behind. I fell towards Edward, and he caught me by my forearms. Carefully he helped me steady myself. Once I had regained some balance I turned to see the culprit.

There stood Lauren. Her shirt looked like it was 2 sizes too small and her shorts were rolled up so that they barely covered her butt. Her hands were on her hips which caused her shirt to rise, showing her belly button.

"Eddie, you are _my_ partner," she said with a tone of possession.

"You are sorely mistaken Lauren. I am Bella's partner. I suggest you find someone else," he replied with an eerily polite and calm tone.

She looked at me and scoffed.

"Oh come on! I know you are trying to get in her pants but that doesn't mean you have to be her gym partner. I'm sure she's easy. We can call it even afterwards."

Edward turned red with fury and I was a bit upset that she was talking like I wasn't standing next to Edward.

"Lauren, Bella is the last person that deserves your disrespect. I suggest you look in the mirror before calling someone easy. And I can't guarantee you we will be a couple again," I looked at him in shock as he continued, "but, I can_ promise_ you that _we_ will never ever be a couple again."

She looked at him with wide eyes and turned around with a shriek. Edward ran a hand through his hair then pinched the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. I was worried that his head was going to explode at this rate.

"Edward?" I asked taking his clenched fist in my hand and brushing my thumb against the white knuckles.

"It's ok, relax."

I kept up with my actions trying my best to soothe him. He slowly unclenched his fist and I took his hand in both of mine. I heard him release a deep breath; I took the chance to look up at him. He opened his eyes and looked down at me. Then a small smile made its way to his lips.

"I'll go get the racquets and birdie," he told me before walking away.

I stood there awkwardly and heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned around, only to be met by Mike Newton. I let out a sigh.

"Hey Bella! Need a partner?"

"Um no, Edward is my partner," I replied and, as I was turning around, I felt him grab my wrist. The action caused me to stop. I tried to pull back but his grip was too strong.

"Come on, you don't want to be partners with that stick in the mud. Plus, he thinks he's all that being Quarterback and everything."

"Would you like to repeat that, Newton?" Edward asked from behind me. His voice sounded dark and it scared me a little. Mike let go of my wrist swiftly, shook his head, and then walked away.

"Here you go," Edward spoke and held the racket out to me.

"Um, Edward I just wanted to let you know that I really don't have any hand eye coordination—"

He cut me off.

"You'll do fine Bella," Edward told me in an encouraging voice. I wondered if he will be as optimistic when we lose.

Our first game was against two girls whose names I didn't know. They snickered at me every time I missed a shot. Edward, however, made up for my lack of skill with his athletic ability and innate sense of coordination. We won the first game and the next couple. However, during our last game Coach Clapp noticed my lack of involvement and ordered that I participate more. So, when the birdie came in between where Edward and I were standing, we both decided to go for it but in the process I tripped over air. I managed to whack Edward in the shoulder and then hit myself in the head, all in the same swing. I rubbed my forehead, thinking about the possibility of a bruise forming there before I suddenly remembered Edward. I turned to see him rubbing his shoulder.

"Edward, I'm so sorry," I exclaimed feeling extremely guilty.

"It's no problem, I'm fine. How's your head?" He just smiled.

I scowled at him.

"Fine," I huffed.

"Good let's get back to the game then," he said holding out his hand to help me up.

For the rest of the game I stood in the back corner with the racquet safely behind my back. Finally, Coach Clapp released us to go change.

I had just finished changing when I saw someone push my book bag to the floor. Lauren Mallory was standing there above it.

"Oops," she giggled with a smirk the walked away.

_So that's how it's going to be?_ I thought.

I sighed making my way out to the parking lot where Alice was waiting for me at the truck.

"So how was your first day?"

"Pretty interesting," I replied.

**So what did you guys think? Once again I would like to give a shout out to my fabulous Beta Edwardrocksmysocks. Review: leave comments, give suggestions, and leave any constructive criticisms. So until next time, arrivederci! **


	6. Kiss the Girl

**Ciao everyone! It took a little longer to write this chapter but I feel that it is rather important to the story line. I want to remind everyone that you should really review because I felt rather unmotivated to write this chapter when I only received a couple reviews. I don't mean to sound like a whiny author but it is what it is. Please enjoy!**

_**Bella's POV**_

Finally Friday! And of course the warm weather from last Saturday had been an omen of ice. The ground was covered in it, making everything slippery. It wasn't bad enough that I was clumsy, mother mature had to throw in some ice. I decided on a pair of straight leg jeans that were slightly torn in some areas. I pulled on a brown tank top and then a cream thermal Henley. The brown Rubbish hoodie with brown plastic buttons I pulled on next was warm. My hair was relatively tame so I brushed through it leaving waves and curls before slipping a headband on **(A/N: The outfit Bella wore when Edward first talked to her in the movie). **

Everyone was in the kitchen as usual…eating their usual breakfasts. And as usual, I opted for a granola bar and milk. Moose came over and I gave him a good rub down before pulling on some Vans.

"Emmett, be careful driving today. There is a bunch of ice on the roads," Charlie warned while reading the newspaper.

"Do I need to go put chains on the tires?"

Emmett spoke with a mouthful of food.

"No, I already put some on yours and Hailey's earlier," Charlie replied.

Hailey looked up from her notes binder.

"Thank-you darlin', I really appreciate it."

Charlie blushed and returned to reading the paper. Emmett then turned his head to look at me. He swallowed before talking this time.

"Bells, you are going to want some gloves and a scarf. It's really cold out there."

"Um, ok," I replied.

I managed to find some grey, knit gloves but I couldn't find a scarf. I heard someone clear their throat behind me. Turning around, I saw Hailey standing a few feet away with a scarf in hand. It was thick and grey like the gloves.

"Here you can borrow mine. I'll make you one later," she said while handing the scarf to me.

"Thanks, but what about you?"

"I'm wearing a turtle neck I'll be fine."

She was wearing a teal turtleneck with a grey fitted sweater vest and black slacks. It amazed me how she always looked so put together and professional for a teacher. She wore winter clothes well for a southern girl. I guess she preserved it though with the string of pearls she never seemed to be without.

"Wait you said you are going to 'make me one'?" I asked.

"Yes, I knit. Very useful in this weather it seems," she replied as I wrapped the scarf around my neck.

"Bells! Ready to go!" Emmett called from the front door.

"Coming!"

I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door. I walked quickly out the door and down the steps. My foot hit the cement and I slipped. I closed my eyes waiting for the fall. Instead, I fell into something warm and solid. Looking up, I saw Emmett with a huge grin.

"Watch were you're going, Grace," he said with a chuckle.

"That would have been the epitome of irony wouldn't it?"

He roared with laughter.

Emmett drove slower to school this time. Avoiding or driving slowly over icy patches. We got to the school and all the tables outside where covered with ice. So I sat on the back of Emmett's truck. Rosalie and Jasper pulled up followed by Edward and Alice. Emmett and Rosalie were inspecting something underneath the hood of her convertible. Alice and Jasper were discussing something intently. Edward was messing with something in his car. A screech sounded from the entrance of the parking lot. I looked up to see a dark blue van skidding towards me. Time seemed to slow down and I was frozen where I stood. I don't know why but I thought about how everyone says that your life flashes before your eyes when you are minutes away from death. But all I could think about was what was to come. I saw two children that looked like Edward and me. I stood watching them from a window, Edward's arm around my waist.

The van's trajectory was aimed right where I was standing. I watched, frozen, as the van came closer and closer. Right before the van could hit me, two arms wrap around my waist. The force of the body behind me sent us crashing into the wet, cold asphalt and my head hit the ground before the person holding me could turn themselves around. By the time we were on the ground I was lying on top of a warm, solid body. Opening my eyes I saw Edward holding me. Fear was swimming in his eyes.

"Are you ok?" He sounded desperate.

"I'm fine," I replied while lifting myself up. I quickly realized that was mistake because everything started to spin and my head throbbed. With a groan, I placed my head back on Edward's chest.

"Bella, are you sure?"

Now he sounded really concerned. I shook my head against his chest and closed my eyes. He slowly pulled himself up with me in his lap.

"Bella! Edward!" I heard people calling. Edward didn't seem to hear them. He pushed the hair out of my face. Everything was still spinning and I swayed a bit.

"Bella, did you hit your head?"

I nodded. He pulled me closer and I felt nauseous.

"Bells!" I heard a deep voice call.

"We're over here," Edward called.

Emmett jumped over the truck and van. I balled my hands in Edward's jacket so he wouldn't let me go. Emmett hugged me and Edward.

"I thought you were crushed," he mumbled into my shoulder.

Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper came over next. Alice touched my head and I moaned in pain. Alice jerked her hand back as I buried my face in Edward's shoulder.

"She hit her head," Edward explained.

Next thing I knew, sirens were going off in the background as an ambulance pulled up. The EMTs released my grip on Edward's jacket and he climbed into the ambulance with me and Emmett. Once we got to the hospital I noticed Dr. Cullen standing at the ER entrance. This whole ordeal was so embarrassing.

"Edward, what happened?"

Dr. Cullen's voice had a mixture of distress and professional concern mixed together or maybe it was just my head. Edward explained what happened as his father examined me. He touched the sore spot and I groaned.

"That spot seems tender let's get a CT. I'm pretty sure you have a concussion but nothing too serious. It could have been a lot worse. How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy, sick, and cold," I listed off, my head still pounding. I watched Edward pull off his jacket and wrap it around my shoulders as Emmett came in with his cell phone in hand.

"Mom…Mom…its ok. She's fine. No she is getting checked out now….I'll tell her to call you back later. Ok…love you too. Bye."

He sighed while closing the phone.

"Dad told Renee about the accident," he explained.

"That's just fabulous," I said while lying back down, "Where's Dad?"

"He's giving Tyler and earful about speeding with ice on the road. He's pretty pissed off."

They took me to get a CT and as Dr. Cullen suspected, I had a concussion.

"Ok Bella you seem to have a concussion. It's not really anything terribly serious but definitely not something to treat lightly. I want you to rest for the rest of the day and this weekend. If you feel better you can return to school on Monday. Now, I am going to instruct your father and Hailey to wake you every few hours to make sure you wake up and to check your pupils. If your head still hurts take some pain meds such as Advil or Tylenol," he listed things off and wrote things down.

I looked over at Edward who was sitting in the corner rubbing his shoulder. Dr. Cullen noticed where I was looking and turned towards him.

"Edward are _you_ alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Dad," he replied calmly. Dr. Cullen didn't believe him.

"Get up here and take off your shirt," he instructed in a firm tone.

Take. Off. His. Shirt? With a sigh Edward complied and pulled off his shirt. I tried not to drool. He was a god. I wanted to run my fingers over the perfectly sculpted six pack and the equally defined pecs. His jeans hung low so I could see the top of his black boxers. My roving eyes caught site of that light trail of bronze hairs and followed it down to where it disappeared into his boxers. My lascivious thoughts disappeared when I saw the rub burn marks and the swollen area around his shoulder. The burns were an angry red that made me want to flinch.

"It seems you hit the ground pretty hard," Dr. Cullen commented as he prodded his son's shoulder.

Edward grimaced when he touched the swollen area. Dr. Cullen then moved Edward's arm up and down, back and forth.

"You don't seem to have a break but there is some deep bruising. I'll give you some pain meds for the next couple days. The burns will last about two or three days."

Edward nodded and looked at me. I tried to compose myself so he couldn't tell that I was mentally undressing the rest of him. Emmett came in and was pushed out of the way by Charlie.

"Bella! I was so worried. I heard about the crash and got here as soon as I could. Hailey is worried sick."

I was touched that he was so worried.

"I'm fine Dad. Edward saved my life," I replied looking over at Edward when I said his name.

Charlie looked at Edward. Slowly he approached him and extended his hand.

"I don't know how to thank-you for saving my daughter," he spoke as Edward grasped his hand.

Charlie pulled Edward into a man hug and slapped his shoulder. His bad shoulder.

"Ow ow ow ow," Edward groaned. Charlie backed off immediately holding his hands up.

"It's ok Charlie. Edward took a bit of damage when he hit the road," Dr. Cullen explained.

"Pansy-ass," Emmett mumbled under his breath.

Dr. Cullen gave Charlie the instructions about what he should look out for and do. I was discharged and Emmett helped me walk. Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie were in the waiting room and I received a group hug. Charlie said that he had to go check out the accident and that Hailey would be home by lunchtime. Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie left after about 10 minutes of making sure I was ok. That left Emmett and Edward sitting on either side of me.

"Well, I better get you home Bells," Emmett finally said.

"Dude, you should go to class. You've missed more days than me and I have to go home anyway," Edward spoke persuasively.

"I don't know dude," Emmett sounded unsure.

_Please go to school. Please go to school_. I pleaded in my head.

"I'm sure Rose would miss you. And you know she is going to need the comfort," Edward pressed.

"Ok man. Take care of my little sister," Emmett said getting up quickly. Emmett left me with a soft hug and lumbered out of the hospital.

"Edward!"

We turned to see Dr. Cullen coming over with a bottle of pills.

"Here are the pills for your pain," he said holding the pills out to Edward.

Edward took them and stuffed them in his pocket.

"Thanks Dad," Edward mumbled.

"I hope you get better soon Bella," Dr. Cullen said while flashing me a dazzling smile.

_I guess that's where Edward got that from. _

"Thanks…Dr. Cullen."  
"Please Bella, call me Carlisle."

I nodded my head and Edward helped me out to his car. Alice had driven his car to the hospital and rode back with Jasper and Rose. Edward wrapped an arm around my waist and helped me into the car. We made it home fairly quickly. He helped me inside and sat me on the couch. I shivered a little when I took off my jacket and gloves. Edward noticed and left, coming back with some warm blankets.

"Want to watch some movies?" He suggested.

"Uh, sure, what do you want to watch?"

I had no clue what movies Emmett and Charlie had. Edward got up and moved to the cabinet below the TV. He knew this house better than me.

"Let's see here. I see lots of action and comedy. Quite a few horror films and a couple chick flicks, then of course Disney classics and some Disney Pixar Films," he listed while looking through the movies.

"What Disney classics do they have?"

He looked over at me and smiled.

"Well, I see The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, The Lion King, Aladdin, and so many others."

"Hmm how about I pick one and you pick one?" I suggested.

"That sounds good. You pick first."

"Ummmm, I choose The Little Mermaid," I replied.

"Then I will go with Hercules."

We decided to watch Hercules first. I sat on one end of the couch curled up in blankets and Edward on the other end. Throughout the movie we scooted closer and closer to one another. I tried to shift my legs so I could get closer but my legs were tangled. Accidently I jerked one foot a little too hard and almost tumbled to the ground. Luckily, Edward has fast reflexes and grabbed my hand before I could fall. He pulled me into his side and wrapped his arm around my body. Slowly I laid my head on his chest. The birth control had been messing around with my hormones so I was a little teary eyed when Hercules found Meg already dead. The movie ended and quicker than I thought possible, Edward switched the movie and was back were he was. I relaxed in his arms as we watched the movie. I hummed along with Part of Your World and for the first time I connected with Ariel. All I wanted was to be apart of Edward's world. And then…the infamous Kiss the Girl.

_Percussion_

_Strings_

_Winds_

_Words_

_There you see her_ I glanced at Edward ever so carefully only to see him looking at me. I blushed and hid my face behind my hair.

_Sitting there across the way_

_She don't got a lot to say_

_But there is something about her_

_And you don't know why_

_But you're dying to try_

_You want to kiss the girl _Edward pushed my hair back behind my ear exposing my face. I cast my eyes down.

_Yes, you want her_

_Look at her you know you do_

_Possible she wants you too_

_There is one way to ask her_

_It don't take a word_

_Not a single word_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

_Sha-la-la-la-la-la_

_My, oh, my_

_Look like the boy to shy_

_He ain't gonna kiss the girl_

_Sha-la-la-la-la-la_

_Ain't that sad?_

_Ain't it a shame?_

_Too bad, he gonna miss the girl_

_Now's your moment _Edward hooked a finger under my chin and tilted it upward so my eyes met his. His face was mere inches from mine.

_Floating in a blue lagoon_

_Boy, you better do it soon_

_No time will be better _

_She don't say a word_

_And she won't say a word_

_Until you kiss the girl_

_Sha-la-la-la-la-la_

_Don't be scared_

_You got the mood prepared_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

_Sha-la-la-la-la-la_

_Don't stop now_

_Don't try to hide it now_

_You want to kiss the girl_

_Sha-la-la-la-la-la_

_Float along_

_And listen to this song_

_Song say kiss the girl_

_Sha-la-la-la-la-la_

_Music play_

_Do what the music say_

_You gotta kiss the girl_

_Kiss the girl_

_Why don't you?_ He slowly bent his head forward till our lips almost touched._  
Kiss the girl?_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

Gently he pressed his lips to mine before adding more pressure. Electricity flowed from my lips to the rest of my body. My heartbeat spluttered uncontrollably as our lips moved in perfect synchronization. I was resting my weight on my arms which were starting to feel weak. I shifted my weight onto my knees forcing my body forward. Our chests were touching now and I wrapped my arms around his neck. One of his hands gripped my waist while the other caressed my cheek. I realized that I needed air and pulled away. We both panted lightly. Edward pressed his forehead to mine and looked at me with half hooded eyes.

"Wow," I breathed out.

He chuckled lightly at my statement. I closed my eyes and leaned in slightly. Edward met me half way and pressed his lips to mine once again. I could barely hear the movie in the background. Of course I was a bit…preoccupied. After some more heated kissing I felt extremely tired. I reluctantly pulled away and rested my head on Edward's shoulder.

"Thank you for saving me," I mumbled into his shoulder.

I felt one of his hands rest on my lower back and the other stroked the back of my hair. He rested his cheek against the top of my head.

"I can't imagine my life without you anymore," he replied softly.

"I just…don't understand."

I turned my head, hiding it in his neck. I didn't want him to see the sadness in my eyes.

"What do you mean?"

He pulled his head up.

"I mean look at me and look at you. You are the quarterback of the school's football team and absolutely handsome. You're a perfect gentleman and completely selfless. Any girl would be lucky to have you and yet here I sit with you. I'm just a plain Jane wallflower."

I couldn't help the sadness that colored my tone. Here I was confessing my insecurities, ruining the mood. Edward's hands left there positions. So I was right. Unshed tears welled up in my eyes with the rejection. He put his hands on my shoulders and pushed me back a bit. Then one hand tilted my chin up so he could see my eyes but I looked down.

"You're wrong," he whispered.

My eyes shot up to his. I opened up my mouth to reply but he placed a finger on my lips.

"Bella, you don't see yourself clearly. I'm the lucky one. You are heart breakingly beautiful, nowhere near plain. You are smart, funny, caring, and I'm the one that is selfish. A beautiful girl like you deserves so much better. So please don't think that you aren't good enough for me," he pleaded with me.

I tried to speak once again but he silenced me.

"Ever since Alice showed me your picture I have been enamored by you. Then I went on that date with you and I realized how absolutely amazing you were. After that I was determined to make you mine. I'm willing to give you everything. I'll give you my heart, my soul, and even my life. Well, Emmett will probably want my life if he finds out I've been making out with his sister," he added the last part to lighten the mood.

My heart soared at his words. His eyes showed pure sincerity. With a small smile he leaned in a pressed his lips to mine. This kiss was soft and caring. When he pulled away he intertwined our hands.

"Bella Swan, will you do me the great honor of being my girlfriend?"

This time, my heart stopped. Edward Cullen, my own personal Greek god, wanted me to be his girlfriend. I suddenly couldn't find my voice. All I could do was stare at him.

"Bella?"

He looked concerned at my speechlessness.

"Edward…"

I took a deep breath. My answer would change everything. I looked at our intertwined and everything seemed to fall into place.

"Yes, I will be your girlfriend," I finally answered.

The biggest smile I had ever seen broke out across his face. He pulled me in for a searing kiss that made me forget about everything. I didn't even hear the door open behind us.

**Cliffhanger! Who do you think is at the door? You will have to wait till the next chapter to find out. And if more of you review then the faster it will come. Come on, you guys have to comments, suggestions, any constructive criticism? Huge shout out to my wonderful Beta Edwardrocksmysocks! She is doing an amazing job helping with my story so please read some of her stories or even the ones she Beta's. I didn't post Bella's outfit because you can probably look it up on Google. But if you are having trouble shoot me a PM and I will help you out. Review! And until next time…arrivederci!**


	7. Spicy Food and Brothers

"_No mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are silent, he chatters with his fingertips; betrayal oozes out of him at every pore." –Sigmund Freud_

_Previously…_

"_Yes, I will be your girlfriend," I finally answered. _

_The biggest smile I had ever seen broke out across his face. He pulled me in for a searing kiss that made me forget about everything. I didn't even hear the door open behind us. _

"Bella?"

With a gasp I pulled away from Edward and turned around to the door. Hailey was standing there with her hands on her hips. She looked somewhere between annoyed and excited. And I had no clue what to tell her.

"I was worried sick about you. Thinking I was going to come home and find you lying on your death bed. But I walk in the door and I find you making out with Mr. Cullen. Your father is worried sick. You are lucky I wasn't your Dad or Emmett," she scolded me before turning to Edward.

"And you young man are even luckier. Charlie or Emmett would have murdered you. I can only imagine what will happen when they find out."

"You aren't going to tell them are you?"

Now I felt a little panicked. Hailey seemed a bit conflicted.

"I won't tell him unless he asks. I don't like lying to your Dad. He wouldn't lie to me," she replied in a stern voice.

"Thanks," Edward and I spoke simultaneously.

Hailey still looked upset and went into the kitchen.

"I'm going to go home for lunch. I'll be back later," he told me while getting up.

I grabbed his hand. Silently, I pleaded for him to stay.

"Now isn't the best time for me to stay. I promise I will be back."

He leaned down and captured my lips. The kiss was slow, full of promise. He pulled back slowly, holding my hand as long as possible until he was too far and our fingers brushed together. Edward quietly closed the front door behind him. Carefully, I got off the couch. The room spun a little at first but after a few seconds, I regained my composure a bit and walked into the kitchen. Hailey was sitting at the table with her head in her hands.

"Are you ok?"

Her head shot up. She had dark circles under her eyes and she looked stressed.

"No, but it's nothing you have to worry about," she replied.

It looked like she needed to tell someone.

"You can tell me if you need to."

I know how it felt not having someone to talk to. Renee was a bit of a gossip and liked to tell people things that weren't hers to tell, things that caused problems for me. Phil was nice but not much of a confidante. But, Renee could always tell _me _things.

"It's my brother Sawyer," she finally sighed.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I wouldn't know. He usually calls me once a week when he isn't on tour. When he is on tour he writes me once a month. Right now, he isn't on tour and I haven't heard from him in nearly two months. I'm worried 'bout him. He, of course, knows that it bothers me when he does this. He's such an ass sometimes. "

With a sigh, she rubbed her temples.

I knew how she felt. Emmett always called me once a week. One time he hit a rough patch with Rose and I didn't hear from him for a month. I was worried sick about him.

"Maybe he's been busy?"

She moved to the living room and waved me over. There were some pictures. She picked one up and showed it to me. It was a portrait. The man in the picture looked a lot like her. They both had blonde hair, though his was more of a dirty blonde, and he had the same hazel eyes as her. The man's jaw was chiseled and all his features were well defined. Overall he was extremely handsome.

"This is Sawyer. I had this taken about a year ago. It was the first time he met Charlie. They went fishing, camping, and hiking with Emmett. Sawyer really likes Charlie. Even told me that he had wished Big Daddy was more like Charlie but most of all Sawyer really liked Emmett," she explained, never looking up from the picture.

"Sawyer sounds like a real nice guy," I told her.

"He's very much a Southern gentleman. Not to mention, his sense of humor, playfulness, and loyalty. And times like this remind me what an ass he can be sometimes, forgetting to call me. Then there's his temper and the decisions he makes but the boy is downright smart. He wanted nothing more than to be a writer. That's why I wanted to get in touch with him. I want him to meet you. The two of you have so much in common. He is the one that got me interested in Shakespeare and the classics," she replied and looked at me.

With a sigh she put down the picture. There were only a couple pictures that seemed to belong to her. I saw only three pictures: one of her and Sawyer at her graduation from the University of South Carolina, a picture of a younger Hailey at Sawyer's graduation from the Louisiana State University, and then a picture of the two of them in front of a beautiful plantation.

"Where is this plantation?"

"That's the house we grew up in," she replied while straightening pictures.

I saw a picture of Charlie, Emmett, and her. She picked that one up.

"I need to get a new picture done," she mumbled.

I looked at the picture of Sawyer again.

"He looks so young for 36," I mentioned.

She put down the picture and looked at me. Then she looked at the picture.

"He's always looked younger than he is. We are mistaken as twins a lot of the time. Though he has gotten older looking through the years of war," her voice seemed sad.

"When is his next tour?"

I figured she must be upset because of an upcoming tour. That's probably why she was so frustrated with him not calling.

"He leaves at the end of June."

I decided to lighten the mood a bit.

"Have you found a dress yet?"

It seemed to work a little because she walked away from the pictures and picked up her bag.

"I haven't gone to a store yet but I was thinking of going to Seattle next weekend. I've been looking through magazines to find ideas," she replied pulling out some catalogues.

We looked at dresses and critiqued them.

"Alice and Esme said they have something special for me though. So I believe I was going to go to Seattle to look at wedding dresses with them. Would you like to come?"

"Uh…sure?"

I was a bit shocked. I'd known this woman for about a week and she wanted me to go wedding dress shopping with her. I had to admit though, she has been more of a mother than my own mom had been even in the short time I had known her so I figured I would go. Alice would want to look for a dress that I could wear anyway. I watched as she glanced at the clock and then stood up.

"We are going over to the Cullens tonight for dinner. Want to help me make the Spicy Chicken Tortilla soup?"

"Sure," I replied and followed her to the kitchen.

Hailey did the cutting and I mixed things and added spices. We ate a little here and there to make up for not eating lunch. Soon the house was filled with the smell of Mexican flavors. Apparently every week they got together when Carlisle wasn't on call and ate dinner together. This week was Mexican week. While Hailey was cutting up tortillas to make the chips she decided to ask some questions.

"So how long have you and Edward been dating?"

"He asked me to be his girlfriend today," I answered carefully.

"How are you going to tell Charlie and Emmett?"

That was a good question.

"Well, I think Edward and I are going to work out what to tell Char—Dad. And I think that Edward wants to be careful about Emmett," I explained while stirring the soup.

"I think Charlie will take it better than Emmett. Though your father will try to deny it, Edward is a good man. Edward volunteers at the hospital regularly and reads to the Elementary school kids. It's not like he is a menace to society," Hailey said while dousing the tortilla slices with oil and salt.

I added the chicken pieces we had seared with some spices into the soup. Carefully, I stirred together the broth, corn, and chicken. Next I added some bell peppers and some jalapeno peppers to the frying pan. They sizzled and filled the house with a new spicy aroma. I let those cook for a few minutes before adding them to the mixture. The onions had already been added so all I had to do was make sure everything mixed together. I took a sip of the soup and added some salt and pepper. Suddenly I felt like my mouth was on fire. I started coughing and hurried to the cupboard. I filled the first cup I could find with water and took a sip. Hailey looked over at me with a blend of horror and amusement.

"Don't drink water it'll make it…" her warning was too late because I was already drinking, "worse."

And she was right. The burning seemed to intensify. If it was possible I would be breathing fire. I was dancing around fanning my mouth, looking ridiculous. Hailey was laughing in the background and I felt her pull the cup from my hands. My eyes were watering so I could barely make out what was in the cup that she was holding out to me. I chugged the contents. The cool creamy substance extinguished the fire in my mouth. Once my taste buds recovered from the flames I identified the liquid as milk. I finished off the cup and took some deep breaths. Hailey was still laughing so I sent her a glare.

"You looked so absurd dancing around and fanning your mouth. Bella Swan you made my day," she said through her giggles.

"Sheesh, are you trying to kill everyone tonight!"

"Oh hush. The soup won't be as spicy once you top it with sour cream," she replied while squeezing juice from a lime slice into the pot.

The timer went off for the slices so she lowered the soup to a simmer and took out the tortilla chips. Hailey left the chips to cool and placed a lid on the pot.

"There, all done," she said wiping her hands on a towel.

At the same time the door bell rang. I looked at the clock. It was around one. Emmett wouldn't be home until at least 4 o' clock. I went to answer the door and found Edward standing there.

**If you review I will send you a sneak peek of the next chapter!**

**Ok, so I am under the impression that you are skipping past my notes and the top and bottom and just read the story so here is my note. There is a picture of Sawyer Walker on my profile. Also if you don't have anything to say about the story, then comment on the quote because I there must be something you want to say about that. I want to thank Edwardrocksmysocks for being so patient and then editing this. And it took me longer to write this chapter because you guys didn't review. No reviews = No motivation. This sounds bad but I am busy these days and reviews remind me that people are waiting. So read and review, pretty please with Edward/Taylor Lautner on top.**

"Hi," the shock apparent in my voice.

"Hey," he greeted with a dazzling smile.

"Come in," I replied opening the door wider so he could come in.

Edward walked in and grabbed my hand. Pulling it to his lips, he left a light kiss.

"It smells wonderful in here."

Hailey walked in at that moment.

"Bella and I just finished up the tortilla soup for tonight," she informed him.

"Well it smells fantastic. I can't wait to try some later," he sounded completely sincere.

"Why thank you, always the gentleman Mr. Cullen," she said then turned around heading back to the kitchen.

"Let's go up to my room," I suggested. He nodded and we headed up to my room.

We both took a seat on my bed.

"How's your head?"

He broke the silence first.

"It's doing better. A little tender still but I feel ok. How's the shoulder?"

"Nothing to worry about, I heal fast. I've gotten a lot worse hits during games," he replied rotating his arm as an example.

"Oh, that's good. Do you get hit a lot?"

All I could see in my head was Edward getting tackled and fatally injured.

"Not too much. It depends on how much I piss off the other team," he answered with a shrug.

I just nodded. Surprisingly the following silence wasn't awkward…it was comfortable.

Soon, however, we started talking again. Edward and I had so much in common. He told me about things he had done with Alice and I told him about Phoenix. We talked for about another hour or so until we knew Emmett would be coming home.

"Edward?"

I grabbed his sleeve to keep him from leaving.

"Yes?"

He stopped and turned to me, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I don't think we should tell Emmett or Charlie yet," I told him.

"That's fine. That means we will have to be careful tonight and at school but I do think we need to tell them soon," he replied tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

I blushed at the contact. With a nod, he smiled and pecked me on the lips before leaving.

Once Edward was gone I ran a brush through my hair. While looking in the mirror I gently touched the area where I hit my head and winced. I heard the rumble of the truck outside and headed downstairs the same time as the front door closed. Emmett put down his back pack and turned to see me walk down the stairs. Once I reached the bottom step he engulfed me in a hug.

"Never do that again. You scared the shit out of me," Emmett said while squeezing the life out of me.

"Language!"

Hailey called from the kitchen.

"Emmett…can't…breath," I spoke with the last bit of air I had.

With a roar of laughter he set me down on my feet and loosened his bear hug but didn't let me go. After a couple more minutes of hugging he let me go.

"Mexican night!" he roared and took a big whiff of air.

I laughed. He definitely had a one track mind. I spent the next couple of hours playing cards with Hailey and Emmett. We played Texas Hold'em with Oreos, marshmallows, and Hershey kisses. Then at about six Charlie walked in with Moose. I heard him hang up his gun belt and vest while Moose scampered into the kitchen, stole a marshmallow, and then placed his head on my lap. Charlie came in and pecked Hailey on the cheek, patted Emmett on the shoulder, and then placed a kiss on top of my head.

"How's the old noggin?" Charlie asked in a gruff voice.

"It's doing better."

Charlie nodded and sniffed at the air.

"Mexican?" Charlie asked Hailey.

She nodded in response.

"We need to get going in a couple of minutes so get changed."

He nodded and left to change. We cleaned up the cards and ate some of the snacks before putting them away. Charlie came back down in a red, blue, and white flannel plaid shirt and old jeans. He went over to Hailey pressing a kiss to her lips. I hadn't noticed until now that she had changed too. Instead of the usual work clothing she was wearing some nice jeans and a red sweater that clung to her body with a white camisole for modesty. And of course Emmett waited impatiently in his Forks football hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

Hailey had Charlie carry the soup and Emmett the container of chips. We walked in the dark, Hailey at the front with the flashlight. I didn't realize how dark it was without the moon and stars.

The Cullen's house was brightly lit and as soon as we got to the steps Esme was waiting at the door. She opened the door and ushered us in eagerly smiling brightly at me with a wink before turning to take the stuff from Emmett and Charlie. She knew…who told her? Edward or Hailey?

Edward was standing on the staircase watching me. I locked my eyes with his, a secret message passing between us. He greeted me as if I were a friend. Emmett and Edward shared a "guy" hug. I walked into what I guessed was the dining room where a huge table sat covered in food.

"I hope you're hungry?"

I almost jumped when Esme put her hands on my shoulders and started talking.

"Everything smells amazing," I complimented.

"You are too kind," she replied with a smile.

"Where are Iris and Mark?" I heard Hailey ask behind me.

"They couldn't come, so they sent the dessert stuff with Rosalie and Jasper," Esme answered without much emotion. Hailey rolled her eyes and mumbled something I couldn't hear.

Everyone took a seat at the massive table and started filling their plates and bowls. I didn't know where to start so I filled my bowl with some soup and lots of sour cream and cheese. I had definitely learned my lesson. Then I made myself a tostada and put a little Spanish rice on my plate. Everyone ate and laughed. I almost peed myself laughing so hard when Alice realized how spicy the soup was. Every once in awhile I stole a glance at Edward and he would look back, sending me a small smile or wink. His foot brushed against mine every once in awhile and we intertwined our legs under the table. The little contact we had was comforting.

After dinner, the guys cleaned up as us girls prepared the dessert in the dining room. Rosalie and Jasper's parents sent things for fried ice cream and some honey soaked Sopapillas. All in all the dinner was great. Everyone laughed and got along amazingly. It was like a family. Once everyone was ready to go home Edward pulled me to the side hallway. Tilting my head up, he quickly pressed his lips to mine. Our lips molded together perfectly. All of my senses dedicated themselves to this moment. After barely half a minute he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. I opened my eyes to see his still shut. He breathed in deeply before slowly opening his eyes.

"Bells! Let's go it's freezing out here!"

I heard Emmett booming voice echo through the hall. Edward pulled me into his arms for a quick embrace before letting me go. I reluctantly pulled away and walked to the door. Emmett was right. I had given up the amazing warmth of Phoenix for this frozen hell hole. But in the midst of my misery an angel came and pulled me back into an icy dream. I was afraid of what would happen when I woke up. I must have looked troubled because Hailey left Charlie's side and came to walk with me.

"Is everything ok?"

"Everything is fine. Just thinking," I replied coolly

"You can always talk to me, you don't have to hide anything from me," her voice was filled with a promise I had only recently discovered.

"I don't have anything to hide from you."

When we got home I immediately went to my room. I checked my email to find a few messages from my mom that I attended to first, deleting the ones that outright insulted Hailey.

Suddenly, an email popped up from an address I hadn't seen before.

_Bells4Jimmy_

There was no subject line so I clicked to open the message. There was a lot of blank space till the end.

_Isabella,_

_I found you. Did you really think you could keep me away from you? I'll make you my little Bell again in no time. And this time you won't be able to say "no". _

I grabbed onto the edge of my desk to keep from falling over. Ok, so I was hiding something. Something that could hurt a lot of people. Something that would turn this icy dream into a hellish nightmare.

**Drama! So what did you think? Anyone want to guess who the creeper is? If you review I will send you an excerpt for the next chapter. Until next time…**


	8. The Wedding Dress

**Ok, so I haven't been getting many reviews so honestly I haven't had much reason to write. And I have decided that once I finish this story I am going to revise and rework Mending a Family. There will be some major changes and you'll just have to deal with it. So please review and enjoy.**

"_Other things may change us, but we start and end with family." –Anthony Brandt_

_1 week later…_

I had tried to push the email to the back of my mind. Maybe he was just bluffing, to scare me. So instead of thinking about it, I decided to immerse myself in whatever song we listened to in the car during the ride to Seattle. Hailey had invited me the week before to look for a wedding dress with her, Esme, and Alice which I accepted. It had only been a couple weeks but Hailey felt like a mom to me. Renee would always be my mother but Hailey was like one of those moms that the other kids had.

A familiar song started to play that caught my interest.

_Where it began_

_I can't begin to knowin'_

_But then I know_

_It's growing strong_

"Oh! I love this song!" Esme exclaimed and turned up the volume.

_Was in the spring_

_And spring became the summer_

_Who'd believed_

_You come along_

We were all humming along at this point. Alice was swaying subtly next to me.

_Hands, touching hands,_

_Reaching out,_

_Touching me,_

_Touching you,_

And as the band grew louder in the background we prepared ourselves for the chorus and belted out:

_Sweet Caroline_

_Good times never seemed so good_

_I've been inclined_

_To believe they never would_

And we continued like that the rest of the song. We would hum and sway to the verses and then belt out the chorus and verbalize the accents from the band. (A/N: If you ever listened to this song with other people that know this song you know what I am talking about.)

By the time we had arrived at the bridal salon I had almost completely forgotten about the email. The salon was light pink with gold and silver trimming. All of the furniture was white and it looked like the place was designed by an overzealous Barbie bride. I saw Esme cringe from the corner of my eye. A lady walked over in a pale yellow skirt suit with a frilly white top underneath the jacket. Her light brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail. No wonder this place looked like it was a Barbie shop.

"Hello! Welcome to Denali Bridal! My name is Kelly! Which one of you is the bride?"

Oh wow… her voice was high pitched and far too enthusiastic. So if it looks like a Barbie and sounds like a Barbie?

"That would be me," Hailey reluctantly answered.

Kelly squealed with delight and proceeded to hug all of us. And she smelled of cheap floral perfume. She must be a Barbie. Looks, sounds, smells…I wasn't going to taste or feel though.

"Do you by chance know if Kate or Carmen is here?"

Esme asked the happy helper.

"Yes! Miss Carmen is here at the moment," Kelly answered.

"I scheduled an appointment for Hailey with her at 2. Tell her Esme Cullen is here." Esme was all business.

Barbie nodded and skipped off to the back. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. She didn't necessarily skip but she definitely had a spring in her step. I looked around at all of the white. There were so many beautiful dresses. I noticed a plaque above some of the samples. Some said designed by Carmen. Others said designed by Kate or Irina and I even saw a couple that said Alice.

"Alice? Why is that plaque with your name on it above those dresses?"

Alice whirled around from a few Kate dresses to smile at me.

"Because I designed them," she squealed.

"They're amazing. Not too over the top but still very glamorous. All of the gowns are amazing," I complimented.

"Well Bella, this is a second bridal store by the Denali's. They created all of the dresses. And one day we'll be looking for a dress for you," Esme explained with a wink.

"That might not be for a while," I replied with a nervous laugh.

"Awhile for you, not nearly as long for me seeing as all of you have grown up so fast. I remember when you were a little girl. With those little pigtails and that adorable watermelon dress, I could never get Alice to wear something that cute. Edward had a little crush on you then. You should hear the way Edward talks about you now! Or even how he looks at you! Bella you have my son enamored," Esme told me with such love in her eyes.

There was a distant look in her eyes as if she was remembering a long held memory.

"Yeah Bella," Alice cut in, "He looks at you the way my dad looks at my mom. Or the way Emmett looks at Rose."

"The way Jasper looks at Alice," Hailey added.

Before I could say anything, a lady in a dark red dress came out from the back. Her skin was tan and that combined with her dark hair gave me the impression that she was Spanish. There was no doubt that she was beautiful.

"Esme! Alice!"

Her voice had a slight Spanish accent to it.

"Carmen how are you?"

Esme hugged the woman that stood a couple inches taller than her.

"Good, I am well. And this must be Hailey and Bella," Carmen said with excitement in her voice.

"I've heard great things about you Carmen. My name is Hailey and this is my soon to be step daughter Bella," Hailey responded while extending her hand.

Instead of taking her hand, Carmen pulled Hailey in for a hug. She tensed for a few seconds before reluctantly putting her arms around Carmen. Something I had observed about Hailey this week was that she seemed to have a personal space issue.

_Maybe she is claustrophobic_, I thought to myself.

Carmen let go of Hailey and repeated the action on me. She smelled of strong perfume in a scent I couldn't identify. She pulled away with a smile and turned back to Hailey.

"So when and where are you getting married?"

Carmen's accent made all the A's sound like Ahs.

"The wedding is in the spring and it's going to be on the harbor. There is this gazebo that looks out onto the water and the wedding will be during the sunset so that the sun will be behind us," Hailey explained.

Carmen nodded and seemed in great thought.

"I see. A spring wedding, on the harbor, with the sunset, si?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Did you have any particular style in mind?"

"Yes, I would prefer an A-line dress but not a ball gown. An empire waist would be good and I want modest but sexy. I like chiffon fabric so the dress needs to be light," Hailey explained.

She had told me the same thing last week when we were looking at dresses. Carmen seemed to contemplate her answer. Every few moments she would turn and look at dresses then turn back to look at Hailey. She waved over Kelly.

"Kelly will take you to the back while I pull a few dresses," Carmen finally said walking to the back.

"Alright ladies right this way," Kelly said skipping over to a door with a fabric curtain. We walked through and what looked like a large dressing room. There were comfortable looking couches and then an area that I believe was the dressing stall. Kelly had us sit on the couches while she took Hailey to the dressing stall. Hailey came out after a couple minutes she came in a pink silk robe. Kelly brought Esme and Hailey some white wine then Alice and I some sparkling wine. Carmen came back with a few dresses and ushered Hailey to the back. I heard the rustling of fabric and then a zipper.

"So what do you ladies think?" Carmen said while holding the train of the huge dress Hailey was wearing.

The dress was big and not exactly a ball gown but pretty close. The amount of beading was ridiculous. Hailey was shaking her head.

"This is too much Carmen. I want something a bit simpler and instead of taffeta could we try something with silk, satin, or chiffon? This fabric is too heavy. Oh, and less beading," Hailey listed off.

Carmen nodded and led her back to the changing area. I didn't hear fabric rustling this time so it was a lighter fabric. I looked over and saw Esme and Alice looking through the stock book.

"This one is much more different than the last. This is one of the few that my daughter Irina designed," Carmen said following Hailey.

I tried to not saying anything mean or even laugh at the dress.

"I don't think this is me," Hailey replied politely.

The dress was bohemian in style. It had the empire waist and A-line she wanted. But it had flowers hanging from places and it had a hippy influence to it.

"It's a little too flowery Carmen. Can we try one from my collection," Esme said while touching one of the flowers on Hailey's shoulder.

"Which one?"

Carmen looked at the one in the book that Esme pointed at and then looked at Hailey. She contemplated the idea. Then smiling, she walked to the stock room. When she came back she ushered Hailey—who was still looking in the mirror remarking how ridiculous she looked—to the back. Alice and Esme seemed very excited as they waited. It took them 20 minutes to come out.

"Oh Esme, I forgot how mature your work is," Carmen gushed while holding Hailey's train.

The dress was magnificent on her. It was made of chiffon giving it a light and flowing feel. The dress had an empire waist that was embellished with beading. The skirt was gathered and the A-line of the dress made her look amazing. The dress also had light sleeves that made it seem older but the low back and plunging V-neck made it sexy. Hailey was starting to tear up at the image.

"Oh Hailey you're crying!" Esme cried walking over to hug her.

"I'm just so happy. The dress is amazing Esme. It's elegant and appropriate for a soon to be step mother but at the same time it makes me feel sexy. I'm marrying the man of my dreams and…and…I just wish Sawyer was here," Hailey replied while wiping away the tears carefully.

The happy helper came with some tissues. Carmen came in with some veils and head pieces. Carefully she put a short elbow length veil in her hair. Esme gently pulled her hair into a delicate up do where Carmen placed some pins. The end product was amazing. She looked absolutely gorgeous. When Renee married Phil she had chosen a white sundress and married him in the desert with an online registered preacher. I love Renee but she could never look like this or put the effort into a wedding that Hailey and Esme were planning.

Esme took pictures of Hailey in the dress while Alice admired the quality. Hailey spotted me in the mirror and waved me over. She hugged me with no care of what would happen to the dress. I was shocked. Even in the cheap white sundress she had bought, Renee hadn't let anyone touch her. It hurt a little realizing that in these past couple weeks a woman six years younger than my mother had been more of a Mom to me then my own mother had ever been.

"What color dress are you thinking of wearing?"

She asked while looking at us in the mirror. Such an odd question, almost random, it took me off guard. Renee had mandated that I wear this orange dress she had found. It was a hideously, obnoxious shade of orange. Not only was the color bad but, it had a huge bow that rested on my ass. The fabric was heavy too and made it almost unbearable to stand through the wedding in the desert heat.

"What are the wedding colors?"

"Well technically the colors are champagne, dark blue, and light green. You know…the colors of the ocean. But I don't want you to feel like you have to wear those colors. I want you to wear any color you want," she replied.

I thought about it momentarily. Charlie wanted Emmett and I to be apart of the ceremony. Emmett would be standing next to Charlie and then I would stand next to Hailey.

"I'm sure Alice has something in mind for me," I told her.

"I do actually! Don't worry about it Bella, I got it covered," Alice called over at us.

"What is the date of the wedding again?"

I couldn't seem to remember at the moment.

"Today is February 10th and the wedding is on March 1st so we still have two and a half weeks."

I nodded. Carmen came back with a garment bag and ushered Hailey to change.

"Wait, she is buying the dress right out?" I asked Esme.

"Well it was the perfect size and I wouldn't want anyone else to wear it," Esme explained.

"You more or less designed this for her?"

"When I created the design, I had her in mind. The elegance and charm of the dress fit her so well. The sleeves make the dress more romantic while still remaining sexy with the low v-neck and exposed back. Alice and I had a feeling the chief and Hailey would end up together so we started early," Esme replied with a shrug.

"What made you think they would end up together?"

Esme thought for a moment then exhaled. She readjusted herself to face me.

"You see Bella, Hailey and Charlie are two interesting people. Your father was pretty damaged when your…mother left. He isn't the type to share his feelings and is rather independent. Charlie needed someone that wasn't clingy and could read his emotions. And Hailey…she is bluntly honest. Also, she is very independent and seeks an amount of freedom she didn't really have as a child. And with Charlie, she is able to be honest with him, which he finds refreshing, and he also gives her a great deal of freedom. Yet, no matter how independent they are, they need each other. Charlie needs someone to help him heal and Hailey needs someone, other than her brother, to love her. Emmett and you, Bella, are bonuses.

Ask Emmett. He thinks of Hailey as more of a mom than Renee ever was. He doesn't want to call her mom until its official. And I have a feeling Bella that you feel the same way. When not in her presence, do you call Renee mom?"

I wanted to cry. Everything she said was true. Emmett was never close to Renee. Hailey was more a part of his life. I didn't answer her though, but she knew.

"That's what I thought. Bella, the best thing you could give any of us is moving to Forks. Alice, Rosalie, and you are the three amigos. Emmett has his little sister around. My son cares for you so. Hailey has a friend and daughter. And you wouldn't believe how much happier Charlie is, Bella."

A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away. Never before had I felt so cared about. Phil was nice and did care about my safety. So did Renee but she never really considered my happiness.

"She's right you know."

I turned around and saw Hailey standing there with the garment bag over her arm.

"Now enough with all this, Alice I believe you wanted to take Bella to get her prom dress?"

Hailey's words left me frozen.

"What?"

"Alice said that while we were in Seattle she wanted to do some dress shopping. I thought she already told you?"

I looked at Alice with a look that could kill.

She looked sheepish before responding.

"I thought it would be the perfect opportunity. Rose already has her dress and I'm pretty confident that you and Edward are going to prom together."

"Did you ever consider the idea that I might not want to go to prom?"

I was pissed. She's my best friend but sometimes I don't think she keeps my opinion in mind.

"Bella, seriously? If I don't convince you, Edward will. I found this amazing dress for you. Plus, I got Angela to let me in on the prom theme."

I thought about for a few moments and decided that I wouldn't win this battle.

"Fine, but I get some say in the dress," I finalized.

"I'm sure you'll love the dress I found," Alice replied with a confident smile.

With a groan, she pulled me out of the dress shop.

Author Note: Nope, you guys don't get to know what the dress looks like until the Prom chapter.

Later that night…

Esme and Hailey wanted to make it back to Forks that night so we got dinner and headed out. The drive home was filled with discussion about the wedding and how gorgeous the dress was. We even talked about prom and the dresses that Alice and I got. I still wasn't thrilled with the idea but I didn't have any fight in me. It wasn't the fact that I had to dress up; it was more of the thought of dancing. With the theme I wouldn't have to wear heels but I was still clumsy in flat shoes. I liked the dress Alice had picked well enough but I still felt self conscious. Next to Alice, Rosalie, and Edward I was so plain.

Though most of the day was a swirl of dresses and dressing rooms, I managed to get at least one thing done that I wanted to do. We stopped by a book shop while in Seattle and I was able to get myself some new books that I had been meaning to read. Not many of them were classics but still good books in their own respect like The Glass Castle.

We made it home rather late and found Emmett and Charlie asleep on the couch with the TV blaring. It really did sound like someone was sawing logs between the two of them but in this one moment they truly looked like father and son. They had the same dark brown, curly hair and the same facial features. Both burly men but Emmett was a good few inches taller than Charlie. Hailey shook her head and went to wake them up signaling me to go to bed. Alice was keeping my prom dress at her house and Esme was busy hiding Hailey's wedding dress.

I made it to my room and quickly got my sleep clothes together and went to the bathroom. The hot shower I took relaxed all of my muscles. I took extra care to dry my hair and brush my teeth. Once I got back to my room I plopped on my bed. Closing my eyes, only to snap them open at the sound of my cell phone, I looked at the caller id before answering.

"Hey," I greeted breathlessly.

**Good evening**, he responded with a chuckle, **How was the shopping day in Seattle?**

"It went well. Alice forced me into a prom dress," I complained.

**I'm sure you looked beautiful.**

"If only I had planned on going to prom."

**You don't want to go to prom with me?**

"It's not that…"

**Then what is it, Bella?**

"I'm afraid to make a fool of myself dancing."

**You really think I would let you make a fool of yourself?**

"…"

**That's what I thought. It's all in the leading**.

I yawned in response.

**You're tired**. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. **I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night and sweet dreams.**

"Good Night."

And with that I turned off the light and turned on my side. Things were changing. In two and a half weeks I would have a whole other new family tied to mine. I thought that I would never go to prom and yet here I am not putting up any fight against it. I thought I would never find anyone as amazing as Edward and I thought I would never have to read that email. Sometimes…we're wrong.

**I would really, really appreciate it if you would review. How am I supposed to get things right if you guys don't review? I mean you guys reviewed Mending a Family why not this one, hm? Not trying to sound harsh but it is what it is. Please review. Next chapter will come out…eventually.**


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